Mother of girl (12) who drowned says Tipp community gave her 'light' in the 'darkest' of days

Sarah Slater

The mother of a 12-year-old girl who died after getting into swimming difficulties has revealed that the support of her local community in the aftermath of the tragedy gave her “light" in the "darkest of days" two weeks following her sudden death.

Freya Tobin from the village Newcastle, Co Tipperary, had been swimming in the river Suir on Friday afternoon, July 11 when she and a friend started to struggle in the water.

While Freya’s friend managed to swim to safety with the help of several boys who heard their screams and despite frantic efforts by locals, emergency services and Cork University Hospital (CUH) medical staff, Freya died several hours later.

Local Independent councillor Máirín McGrath said that she was asked by Ms Tobin and friend Caitriona O’Mahoney to share a statement from them of “beautiful Freya who left us so sadly”.

The statement added: “(We) would like to thank the whole community of Newcastle, from the start of this nightmare you helped us on this journey on life without Freya.

“This gave us light in the darkness of days and gave us comfort knowing that Freya had a massive impact on our community. From the bottom of our hearts we sincerely thank you all and we will be eternally grateful.”

They said that it would be “impossible” to name everyone individually but they highlighted that the community helped to make the “task of planning and organising our little angels funeral” so much easier.

“(You) rallied around us in the darkest time of our lives, we felt the love you had for Freya and the compassion you showed towards us was out of this world.

“As a community, I think it is fair to say that Freya's tragic death left us all heartbroken but the response of our village and its people was profound, we will continue to remember Freya in our hearts forever and continue to share our love and care for her family and friends.”

A fundraising campaign organised by the community raised almost €53,000 for Freya’s family.

Fr Michael Toomey, Parish Priest Administrator for the parish of Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, Fourmilewater, Grange and Newcastle said at the former sixth class student’s funeral mass last week that there are times in life, “that we are left speechless.”

Fr Toomey continued: “A journey of emotions in the days ahead. For some of us it has not yet hit us that Freya is gone. Why did Freya (have to die)?, I have no satisfactory answers to that. Nothing I can say to reverse that process. It all seems wrong. The reason you feel this way is because you love her.”

Freya was laid to rest in Mollough cemetery.