‘Only faith can dare to speak into the darkness’

Morgan Barnard, 17, Lauren Bullock, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died following a crush near the entrance to a hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick’s Day.

Schoolchildren formed tearful guards of honour during back-to-back funerals attended by thousands of friends and relatives on Friday.

Archbishop Eamon Martin told mourners: “Words fail us at times like this. All that really matters, and makes a difference, is love and friendship and compassion.

“And only faith can dare to speak into the darkness of these days to offer a glimmer of light and hope in this valley of tears.”

Hundreds of young people had just arrived on buses and were waiting outside the Greenvale Hotel to get into the popular nightspot.

Police said some fell and were trodden underfoot.

Hotel owner Michael McElhatton, 52, was arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of manslaughter and bailed to return for future questioning.

A 40-year-old man who was also arrested on suspicion of manslaughter has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Fr David Moore reflected at one of the funerals: “St Patrick’s Day 2019 will be called to mind as the awful day when three beautiful young people, all in the prime of their lives, were overpowered, literally in the mad rush of our modern world and needlessly lost their lives.

“On Sunday night, and during the early…