‘The love of his life’: Funerals held for couple who died in car crash in Spain

By Bairbre Holmes and Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

A couple who died in a car crash in Spain last month have been remembered at two funerals in Co Westmeath.

Mark McCullagh-Crichton’s funeral heard that Michaela Newcombe was “the love of his life”, while Newcombe’s funeral was told “he treated her like a princess”.

McCullagh-Crichton died alongside his partner, Newcombe and his sister-in-law, Amy McCullagh.

McCullagh-Crichton’s brother, Amy’s husband Ian, who was injured in the same crash, attended his brother’s funeral on Thursday.

The two services were held at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar.

At McCullagh-Crichton’s funeral, the celebrant priest Fr Kevin Kiernan said the manner of their deaths had “shaken” his family and communities across Ireland.

Authorities said two vehicles collided on the A7 motorway near the city of Malaga in the early hours of June 28th.

One of the vehicles then fell down an embankment, killing Michaela, Mark and Amy.

At McCullagh-Crichton’s funeral, mourners heard that the manner of his death had “shaken” his family, the town and beyond.

He said the loss was felt deeply and the family would carry memories “of a man who loved his family and his friends”.

“Mark had a great love for his family, but also his girlfriend Michaela, who was the love of his life,” the priest said.

“Although it was short-lived, they lived it to the full. Well, you only have to look at Snapchat – every story was about Michaela and dedicated to ‘the most beautiful girl in Mullingar’.”

At the end of the funeral, the priest read out a statement on behalf of the McCullagh-Crichton family.

“The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to all the emergency services in Spain, all that attended and supported at the scene on the morning of 28 June, to the hospital staff in Spain, especially those in ICU that helped Ian during this time of need.

“They wish to extend their deepest sympathy to Mark’s girlfriend Michaela’s and sister-in-law Amy’s family during this hard time.

“May they find the strength to navigate through this unimaginable time in the weeks that follow.”

At the end of the funeral, the priest encouraged friends of Mark and Ian to look after one another, and said the crash had affected “not only the parish but the country”.

A prayer of the faithful was said for those who are ill, and called for god to lay a “healing hand” on Ian.

At Newcombe’s funeral held earlier, the 23-year-old was said to have had a “rare, radiant gift of lighting up every room she entered”.

Addressing mourners at Cathedral of Christ the King, Fr Phil Gaffney said: “The loss of Michaela, Mark and Amy has enveloped the town of Mullingar in a grief that words cannot fully measure.”

Symbols of Ms Newcombe’s life were presented at the beginning of the ceremony including a family photo, teddy bear, mobile phone, hair straighteners, makeup bag and her favourite coat.

Fr Gaffney said: “When we look back on her short life, we’ll always remember her friendly face, that beautiful, unforgettable smile,” adding: “She had a rare, radiant gift of lighting up every room she entered.

“That smile wasn’t just a fleeting gesture, it was a true reflection of a kind, generous soul.

“She brought warmth to our lives, and she truly made the world a brighter place.”

He said she moved in with her grandparents aged three and her “world truly revolved around” them.

Family was important to Ms Newcombe, he said. She moved to Spain to work but returned to Ireland when she “realised she was too much of a homebird”.

“Michaela loved her mummy and daddy beyond measure,” he said, and “her brothers and little sister were always her number one priority”.

Describing her relationship with Mr McCullagh-Crichton, the parish priest said: “We all know that Michaela was particularly fussy about certain things, and when she brought Mark home for the first time to meet her Nanny and Grandad, they knew this guy must be something special.

“They truly cherished the time they spent together, and he treated her like a princess.”

She was a “loyal and hard worker” who “took immense pride in how she looked, always sporting the latest trends – her hair, her nails, makeup”, Fr Gaffney said.

“She was strong-minded, never shy to tell it exactly as it was, and we know the world is a little less bright without her.”

He added that the family were thankful for the “extraordinary support that they have received over the past 10 days”.