‘Amelia brightened the world around her’ – funeral of girl (14) who died while attending Irish college in Gaeltacht

Amelia Belle Ferguson (14) died while attending Coláiste na nOileán, a college located in Tír an Fhia in the Connemara Gaeltacht, last Thursday.

Her family thanked everyone who tried to save Amelia – who had a pre-existing medical condition – after she took ill while on a walk at the Irish college.

They thanked those at the college, her friends who stayed by her side, the emergency aeromedical paramedics and Galway University Hospital.

Mourners gathered at the Temple in Newlands Cross Cemetery, Dublin, for a service to celebrate her life and to offer condolences to her heartbroken parents Suzi and Brian, as well as to her younger sister Poppy.

“Amelia was the best friend and sister I could ask for. She had the biggest personality and there are so many people here… because everybody loved her,” Poppy said. “It still feels like she is in the Gaeltacht”.

Today’s News in 90 seconds – 20th June 2024

Her mother Suzi recalled how the Dublin family-of-four travelled to Galway for a holiday one year when Amelia, so excited to see the beach and water, shed some clothes and ran in, with Suzi having to follow her in wearing her jeans and fully clothed in order to get her out.

“She was kind of like that in everything in life. She was a deep thinker, a free spirit and she loved going on her little adventures,” the mother said, adding that Amelia knew every bus route after getting her first Leap card.

She described her daughter as her soulmate and her best friend, with the words “loving”, “loud”, “main character”, “iconic”, “curious”, “kind” and “beautiful” coming to mind when she thought of her.

She said Amelia always pushed herself out of her comfort zone, reflected and tried to do better and “was so genuinely interested in people”.

The teen, of Firhouse, Dublin, loved trying different cuisines, was a “fervent feminist” and loved languages, even teaching herself Russian.

Mourners heard of her great grá for music, coming down to her mother Suzi every night to listen to music or sitting in her father Brian’s van and exploring and drawing inspiration from his music tastes.

Amelia loved going to gigs and had “such a beautiful voice” and was a “natural performer” and was also part of a local drama group.

Family and friends shed a tear at hearing Amelia’s voice, as a video played out of her singing a rendition of Vance Joy’s Riptide.

Some of her other favourite songs to listen to were played throughout the ceremony, including her favourite number one, I Love You by Fontaines D.C.

Shedding light on her short life, mourners heard how Amelia was born in 2010, the eldest of two.

At just three days old, she had a pacemaker fitted. Throughout her life, she regularly attended Crumlin Children’s Hospital for monitoring.

When she was just seven-years-old, she fell into a coma, in what was described as “a hard time for the whole family”.

“It looked like she wouldn’t pull through. She made her communion a short time after that scare. She looked so pretty and happy in her beautiful little dress with an extra special celebration, having pulled through such a touch and go time,” mourners heard.

Amelia was due to have another pacemaker fitted next year.

She had so many plans for summer including gigs, sleepovers and time with friends and families

Mourners heard of how happy and excited Amelia was heading off to the Gaeltacht in Connemara, such was her love for Irish and languages.

They heard how last Thursday, on the day of her sudden death, she spoke to her dad about the day she just had and how she was looking forward to the next day’s activities.

She told her mother how she was really looking forward to coming home to watch a Disney movie while eating a spice bag on the sofa together.

Amelia was a forward thinker and friends were a very important part of her life, making her a very loyal friend and great listener, mourners heard.

They heard how the second-year student at Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh in Rathfarnham, Dublin, loved her school friend group, where she had made so many friends and loved the girly gossip and chat.

“She loved to plan ahead and she had so many plans for summer 2024. What to do throughout the school holidays including gigs, sleepovers and time with friends and families,” she said.

Principal Joe Mac Suibhne told mourners said the whole school community was devastated after hearing the tragic news.

“Over the last few days since Amelia died, we have had gatherings in the school… the huge turnout of students and staff during the summer holidays reflects the esteem in which Amelia was held. There were a load of tears but there was also laughter remembering the antics of Amelia,” he said.

“Amelia’s friends are all heartbroken, especially those who were with her in Coláiste na nOileán, who would like to have been with her.

“They are heartbroken not just because they have lost a friend but because of the kind of friend that she was.

“Memories of her and her goodness will never be forgotten.”

Pearl Jam’s Black, a song about letting go, played out as family put Amelia’s white coffin to its final resting place in Bohernabreena Cemetery.

“Amelia will always be loved… she will always live on in our hearts,” one final tribute expressed.