Funeral hears Kerry teenager who died in horse riding accident had ‘so much goodness'

Irish Independent

30-06-2025

Isabelle 'Izzy' O'Callaghan (17), from Rockfield on the Tralee Road, died in the accident last Thursday.
The late Ms O'Callaghan's family are the owners of Killarney Coaches and they are well-known in the locality.
Hundreds attended the funeral of the late St Brigid's Presentation Secondary School Student, to offer their condolences to her parents Eamon and Deirdre, brother James, grandparents and wider family at St Mary's Cathedral on Monday.
At the Mass, the late Ms O'Callaghan was remembered in a eulogy delivered by her best friend, Leah.
An emotional Leah told those in attendance that she never expected to be standing at the funeral of her 'amazing' friend.
'I met Izzy through the world of horses and our friendship sparked the way a lot of people can relate to - the shared passion we had for our sport,' Leah said.
'Our friendship was full of love, laughter, adventure and unforgettable memories that I will cherish forever, such as galloping down Inch Beach at full speed and uncontrollably laughing when we realised we couldn't stop the horses, making fun of each other when we were covered head to toe in mud after a long day of hunting, or stuffing our faces with chicken goujons at your kitchen table.'
Leah said she could not stop smiling when her late friend was honoured at the Showjumping Ireland Awards in February.
'I was so proud of you when you were on the big stage receiving your award. I was even prouder to call you my best friend,' she said.
Though Leah moved to work in Clare, she and the late Ms O'Callaghan maintained their great friendship despite the distance between them.
'Our lives were very different but we still supported each other through everything, even with the three-hour bus rides it took to meet up,' she explained.
'From the excitement of new experiences to the difficult times we had to overcome together.
'Although Izzy was younger than me, she had a way with words that always made me feel better and, somehow, in the most complicated situations, she could always make me laugh.'
Leah said the late Ms O'Callaghan brought out in her a sense of confidence that she does not have naturally.
'On my second week of my new job in Ennis back in September, I was given full responsibility to look after over 30 horses while my co-workers went to a horse show in County Cavan,' she recalled.
'I was extremely nervous and I was doubting my abilities. So of course, I called the one person I knew who would give me the advice I needed to hear.
'As expected, she made me feel like I was enough and that I was capable.
'The following day, Izzy and her dad pulled up outside my apartment door. She brought so much food that I didn't have to do a food shop for over a month after. Thanks again bestie.'
Leah said the bond she had with the deceased could not be compared.
'I could rely on her and I hope she knew she could always rely on me too,' she said.
Killarney parish priest, Fr Kieran O'Brien, presided over the funeral.
Fr O'Brien said the late Ms O'Callaghan was taken 'so unexpectedly and so cruelly' after a morning spent marking hay bails with her grandfather Jimmy.
He said the accident took place in the lead up to the weekend when the deceased's grandparents, Monica and Sean, were to celebrate their golden jubilee.
The priest said the loss of the late Ms O'Callaghan was another blow to the family, following her cousin Bill's death eight years ago.
'A treat for her, on a Thursday afternoon, after a morning's work, was to take the horse for a gallop,' he said.
'She loved her horses. It's like the phrase, she would sleep, breathe and eat with them - they were her life, it was her vocation.
'From early morning to late at night, she attended to them. She disciplined herself, always to be organised from the night before, if there was a journey to be travelled.
'She travelled the length and breadth of this country for various competitions. The horsebox could be taken out at any hour of the day or night. And always with her parents at her side.
'They were passionate, they were supportive, and they were also driven for the sake of their children.
'The name Izzy O'Callaghan is well known throughout this country, and especially in the equine circle.
'For her age, didn't she achieve so much. Only 17, she will remain a teenager, she will be forever young.'
Fr O'Brien said a day had never been long enough for the late Ms O'Callaghan, a nature lover who was always up at the crack of dawn.
'Even as a fifth year student in St Brigid's, her college plans were already in place. Her work was almost certainly going to be outdoors,' he said.
He said the late Ms O'Callaghan was a beautiful young lady who wore a smile every day, no matter what was going on in her life.
'So much goodness, so much kindness came from her,' he recalled.
'She was also that kind of person that if she received kindness in her own life, she repaid it on the double.'
The deceased was described by her teachers in St Brigid's as quiet yet confident and Fr O'Brien sympathised with her many friends and fellow students, who celebrated the end of the school year only a few weeks ago.
Fr O'Brien said the death of Ms O'Callaghan served as a lesson on how fragile life is.
He said the community of Killarney is behind the family of the deceased and locals will try to support them in any way.
Fr O'Brien said lyrics from the Donna Taggart song 'Jealous of the Angels' could be used to describe the feelings of those grieving.
'I didn't know today would be our last. But I would have to say goodbye so fast. I am so numb I can't feel anymore. Only God knows why. I'm just jealous of the angels around the throne tonight,' he recited.
Fr O'Brien called for those at the Mass to pray for the late Ms O'Callaghan and her family.
'May she rest in peace,' he said.
Ms O'Callaghan's burial took place in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery after the Requiem Mass.
Her funeral procession received a guard of honour from the students and staff of St Brigid's Secondary School as it travelled through Killarney.