INISHOWEN is mourning
the loss of a well-known mother and daughter who
died in a horrific crash in Derry on Saturday.
Fifty-seven year old Bernie McElhinney, from
Tullyally, Redcastle and her daughter Lisa, 31, died
when their car was in a collision with another
vehicle on the main road
at Culmore, Derry around 9.20am.
Friends paid tribute yesterday to Buncrana-born
Bernie (nee McGlinchey) who was well-known through
her many years running WeightWatchers sessions at
Templemore Sports Complex in Derry.
She and her husband Seamus only moved to Redcastle
from Foyle Springs, Derry around six months ago, to
start a new life in the Inishowen countryside.
It's understood that Lisa worked for the Guinness
Brewery in Dublin and was visiting her parents for
the weekend when the accident took place as she and
her mum travelled into the city together.
Moville parish priest, Fr. Paddy O'Kane knew the
deceased as a former parishioner in Derry.
"Bernie was very well known in the community through
her involvement with WeightWatchers. She was full of
fun and was very good humoured," said Fr. O'Kane.
Devastated staff at Templemore Sports Complex,
meanwhile, outlined how Bernie, whose sister
Patricia McGlinchey lives in Buncrana, conducted
WeightWatchers classes at the public leisure centre
for more than 20 years.
Duty manager, Michael Quigley told InishowenNews.com
that her many friends at the complex were struggling
to believe what had happened.
"Bernie was in here every Tuesday and Thursday doing
the WeightWatchers and Seamus would always come
along to help her," he said.
"She was very well liked and respected by the
WeightWatchers crowd and everyone at the complex.
She helped hundreds of women and men in Derry to
lose weight over the years and she did that in a
very supportive way.
"Bernie was very kind hearted and good natured and
would have done anything for you."
The deaths of the local mum and daughter came during
a weekend of carnage on the roads of the North and
Republic.
Their funerals will take place on Wednesday with 9am
Requiem Mass in the Holy Family Church,
Ballymagroarty, Derry. |
