Derry mother tragically killed in crash laid to rest

A Derry mother who died in a tragic accident has been laid to rest.

Mairead Doherty, who was in her 30s and from the Bogside area, was killed following a single-vehicle collision along the Culmore Road in the early hours of Sunday morning. Three other people involved in the crash were taken to hospital.

A moving tribute was paid to the young mum at her Requiem Mass in St. Columba’s Church, Long Tower on Wednesday morning.

Fr Michael Canny told mourners that Mairead had been “tragically taken from her family and friends”.

Her family had “no time” to prepare, he said. “No time to sit at a hospital bed or a bed at home, to say how much they loved her. They had no time to prepare.

“The news of her death was sudden, devastating and there is unrelenting pain and suffering. Mairead’s father summed it up well in the few words that were sent to me.

“He said ‘I carried her as a baby into our home in September 1991 with all of the happiness any father could feel and I carried her coffin on Monday into the house with the heaviest heart I've ever known’.

“I suppose that just about sums up the situation that this family finds themselves in.

“The past few days, they’ve had the heaviest hearts that anybody can have known.”

Mairead was described as a “strong willed girl” and a “fantastic mother” to her son Cillian and “stalwart” partner of Ciaran and a “loving sister”, who was great with family and friends.

Fr Canny told the packed church that Mairead had made a great impact on the lives of everyone she had encountered and her sudden death would have a tremendous effect on everyone who knew her.

Since her death, a Derry Féile event, the 'Fair in the Square' was cancelled out of respect, due to the “bereavement”.

Her partner's workplace, Maiden City Butchers, have also organised a fundraising campaign to help pay for funeral costs.

"In these sad times, we would like to try and raise a few pound for the cost of Mairead Dohertys funeral on behalf of our colleague Ciaran Lynch her son Cillian and her family," Maiden City Butchers said.

"We will also be accepting donations in Maiden City Butchers for anyone who doesn’t use online.

We hope Ciaran has a speedy recovery."

The fundraising appeal has raised over £5,000 and can be found at: www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-memory-of-mairead-doherty?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook