1,000 attend funeral of 3 killed in crash

Evening Standard/London

More than 1,000 mourners came together today to pay their respects to an 18-year-old girl and her grandparents who died side-by-side in the Glasgow bin lorry crash three days before Christmas.Erin McQuade, her 68-year-old grandfather Jack Sweeney and his childhood sweetheart Lorraine, 69, were killed when the out-of-control refuse vehicle mounted a pavement and hurtled into pedestrians in the city’s George Square. Six people were killed and 10 more were injured in the tragedy.Paying tribute to the three relatives at the funeral service, archbishop Philip Tartaglia told the distraught congregation that the trio had “died as they lived – together”.He added that the “random, cruel and meaningless” incident had piled “tragedy on tragedy and sadness of sadness” for the victims’ bereft family.Today, McQuade’s anguished mother Jacqueline - who witnessed her daughter and parents being killed as she withdrew cash nearby - arrived at St Patrick’s RC Church in the family’s home town of Dumbarton to bid farewell to her family. She was joined by Erin’s two teenage brothers and her six-year-old sister, as well as around 1,000 mourners, some of whom spilled out in front of the church during the joint requiem mass. In a moving address, archbishop Tartaglia, the archbishop of Glasgow, told how the three family members had been struck down ‘in front of Jacqueline’s eyes’ during a happy Christmas shopping trip in the city. He said: “Jack and Lorraine’s daughters, Jacqueline and Yvonne are also Erin’s heartbroken mum and sorrowing aunt. This is a family devastated by the tragic deaths all at once of three much-loved members.“They were struck down in front of Jacqueline’s eyes. A festive and happy Christmas shopping excursion to Glasgow had become the worst of nightmares. What happened was random, cruel and meaningless.”He added: “Their last day on this earth said it all. Jack and Lorraine, Jacqueline and Erin went on a Christmas shopping trip. Three generations of the same loving family.” “They died as they lived - together. It is fitting that they should share the same funeral Mass. They will be buried in the same grave.”The Archbishop had previously told a memorial mass that he wept with the woman who saw her teenage daughter and both parents die almost in front of her.Today, he told how the Sweeneys had been “very happily married” for over 45 years and that they had been “responsible for creating a loving family who were very close to each other”.He described McQuade, a Glasgow University student, as a “light-.hearted, caring, family-loving girl” and that her parents Jacqueline and Matt will “always mourn for her”.The archbishop added the she had been “very dear to her young brothers and sister”, adding: “They have tried to be so brave over these days, and so supportive to their mum and dad, but are deeply saddened and are missing her sorely”. He said the teenager’s parents had been “so deeply saddened by Erin’s death” and said that they would “always feel the searing pain of her loss”.“Just as her life was opening up and she was spreading her wings, cruel fate took her away,” he said.The service, which included readings from family members Elizabeth McQuade and Hazel McQuade, began with the hymn I Watch the Sunrise.On the back of the order of service a message from the family said: “The family would like to thank you for your presence here today. They would like to express their gratitude for the love, sympathy and support shown to them at this sad time.” After the service ended, the family members carried the three coffins to three hearses waiting outside the church in heartbreaking silence. Many of the mourners were crying as they left, with some hugging each other in an attempt to provide comfort.The service was followed by burials at Dumbarton Cemetery, which was also held in private.Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson, Scottish Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Jackie Baillie, the MSP for Dumbarton, were also among those who came to pay their respects.Another mourner at the funeral was David McCallum. Although he does not know the family, he organised a candlelit vigil following the tragedy which was attended by 2,000 people.On Sunday, some 1,500 people fell silent at the vigil in Glasgow’s Royal Exchange Square, adjoining Queen Street, where hundreds of bouquets of flowers and candles have been placed in memory of the victims.Speaking to Sky News this morning, he told how he was overwhelmed with the support of the public. Family members of the three victims have previously told how they do not blame the bin lorry driver for the crash.Marc Gardiner, the nephew of Lorraine and Jack Sweeney, took to Twitter after the tragedy to thank everyone for their messages of support.He tweeted: “Been a really emotional and overwhelming day and on behalf of my family I just want to say thank you to everyone around Scotland sending in there condolences and best wishes!