The funeral mass of the Waterford family who died in an arson attack heard tributes from their close family members at a heartbreaking service this afternoon.
Philip and Kim English, and their two sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, 9, died following the house fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
On Monday afternoon, mourners gathered at the Sacred Heart Church Parish Centre, The Folly, to pay their respects to the late English family – where Kim’s sister Charlene and Philip’s cousin Ross paid emotional tributes to their loved ones.
In a heartfelt eulogy, Kim’s sister Charlene said words would never describe the pain she was in following the loss of the family.
‘I’ll never forget watching Cinderella next to you,’ Charlene told her sister. ‘Kim, you were everything and more than a sister could ask for.
‘I have never met anyone as beautiful and resilient as you. You broke the cycle, and you became the best mother I’ve ever seen. I’m grateful I called you the night before you were taken away from me.’
Speaking about her ‘beautiful’ nephews, Charlene said Callum was ‘like her twin’ and Jayden was ‘always up to mischief.’
Charlene detailed how she first met Philip when she was four years old and ‘loved him instantly.’
Philip’s cousin Ross paid tribute to his uncle Paddy, who he said was ‘the glue of this family’ and told him: ‘We’re here for you, Paddy. I just wanted to tell you that we love you.’
Ross spoke of the journey the English family are now embarking on and detailed the late family members that his cousin would be reuniting with when they enter heaven.
Appealing to the youngsters at the church, and across Ireland, Ross pleaded: ‘Please walk away from drugs. Please ask for help when it comes to addiction. Please ask for help if you’re being led down a bad path. Please choose a life; choose hope. Please, choose a future.’
Two people have appeared in court on charges related to the arson attack.
Cian Stacey, 21, and Jessica Dalton, 31, appeared at a special sitting of Clonmel District Court on Saturday charged with one count of criminal damage and two counts of assault causing serious harm.
Both were remanded in custody to appear before Waterford District Court on Tuesday.
