Funeral of Randalstown crash victim takes place

Michelle McStravick, one of the two care workers killed in an horrific road traffic collision outside Randalstown on Monday, '˜lived her faith through acts of love, responded to people in need and often went the extra mile' for others, mourners at her packed funeral Mass have heard.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Jul 2016, 14:27 BST
Updated 28th Jul 2016, 15:29 BST
Pacemaker Press 28/7/2016: The Funeral of Michelle McStravick one of two women who were killed in a car crash while driving to work in Randalstown. Dearly beloved daughter of Edward and Elizabeth and mother of Cliodhan. The Funeral took place at St. MacNissi's Church in Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Picture By: Arthur Allison/PacemakerPacemaker Press 28/7/2016: The Funeral of Michelle McStravick one of two women who were killed in a car crash while driving to work in Randalstown. Dearly beloved daughter of Edward and Elizabeth and mother of Cliodhan. The Funeral took place at St. MacNissi's Church in Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker
Pacemaker Press 28/7/2016: The Funeral of Michelle McStravick one of two women who were killed in a car crash while driving to work in Randalstown. Dearly beloved daughter of Edward and Elizabeth and mother of Cliodhan. The Funeral took place at St. MacNissi's Church in Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker

In his homily in St MacNissi’s Church, Randalstown, this morning Fr Diarmuid Sheehan, told the congregation: “From the number of stories we have heard over these last two days with regard to Michelle and her generosity it is clear she used her gifts well. She lived her faith through acts of love. She may not have worn a path down to the Church but she lived the commandments of love. She responded to people in need and often went the extra mile, not thinking of the cost to herself. For that she blessed the lives of so many. And you can thank God that she was part of your life, even if only for a short time.”

Concluding, Fr Sheehan said: “And in the meantime as we await our own homecoming to heaven, I leave the last word to one of Michelle’s quotes: ‘You have to take the good with the bad, smile when you are sad, love what you have got and remember what you had’”.

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Ms McStravick (35) from Randalstown was killed with her colleague Lorraine Clyde (56) who was from the Antrim area, in a road traffic collision outside Randalstown on Monday morning.

Michelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competitionMichelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competition
Michelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competition

Both women worked as care assistants for Homecare Independent Living in Coleraine.

Ms McStravick had a teenage daughter, Cliodhan, and was well known as a fitness instructor and bodbybuilding competitor. She was a trainer at the Pure Fitness Gym in Ballymena.

The pair had been travelling in a grey coloured Citroen C1 car which was in collision with a silver coloured Ford Focus at the Moneyrod Road junction.

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A man and woman travelling in the second car sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Michelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competitionMichelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competition
Michelle McStravick, who trained in Ballymena's Pure Fitness Flex Gym, pictured after winning a recent competition

Friends of the tragic care workers killed in the incident had appealed for those attending their funerals to “celebrate” their lives.

On social media, a relation of Ms McStravick appealed for “no one to wear black”.

Meanwhile also on social media, a friend of Mrs Clyde, who was well-known as a patrol lady for St Comgall’s Primary School in Antrim. asked that anyone hoping to attend a prayer service for Mrs Clyde on Friday treat it as “a celebration, not a mourn”.

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On Facebook a friend said: “Hi everyone. Just to let you all know. Whoever would like to go to Lorraine Dobbin-Clyde’s funeral are all more than welcome. We are having a prayer service at St Comgalls chapel in Antrim on Friday 29th July 2016 at 12:30. I know she would love to see everyone there

“We would also like you to wear as much glitz and glamour as you would like. She has always said she wanted a celebration, not a mourn!”

Mrs Clyde’s funeral service will be held at St Comgall’s Church in Antrim tomorrow, leaving her The Meadows home at 12 noon. It will then proceed to Roselawn Crematorium for 2.30pm.