Funeral told of poignant last texts shared between teenage couple killed in Tyrone crash: ‘Their love was true’

Kamile Vaicikonyte died alongside her boyfriend Jamie Moore in the crash on Tuesday night.

The 17-year-old lived in Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, with her family and worked in the local Supervalu store.

A priest at her funeral said “hearts are broken” by the tragedy.

Fr Cathal Deveney recalled “a young girl, beautiful, 17 years old, taken all too tragically from us”.

Ms Vaicikonyte was of Lithuanian descent, and her family moved to Aughnacloy when she was aged two.

She was a Year 13 student at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley and, the day before she died, had taken part in a school event campaigning for an upgrade of the A5 road.

St Ciaran's High School 'A5 Enough is Enough' video

Kamile’s uncle, speaking at the funeral, recalled “a lovely girl, free spirited, who always had the most wonderful smile”.

“She always looked at the future with bright, bright hopes,” he said.

Mourners were told of poignant messages found on Kamile’s phone.

He added: “The last messages between Jamie and Kamile that were found on her phone were Jamie saying ‘Kamile, I only want to be in your hands’ and Kamile said ‘my hands are the only place I want you to be’.

“It is a very bittersweet ending for us because although we miss them, we know that their love was true.

“They may have been young but they could have taught us a thing or two - love overcomes everything”.

The accident took place at Doogary Road near Omagh at about 9.50pm on Tuesday.

It is part of the A5 - one of the most dangerous roads in Northern Ireland.

More than 50 people have died on the road since plans to redevelop it were announced in 2007.

Among those at this morning’s Requiem Mass in St Mary’s Church, Aughnacloy was Fr Michael O’Dwyer, the chaplain to St Ciaran’s.

Fr Deveney said: “He was there on Monday when young people, together with the staff, stood up for change to the A5 and called for an upgrade to that road.

“And there was Kamile also taking part. She was a part, and stood there with an act of commitment and love and courage for others

“Little did they know that a few hours later that she would die tragically on the A5.”

Various items representing Kamile’s life were brought forward at the start of the service.

These included a family photograph, with mourners hearing Kamile was a “protective older sister and a loving daughter”.

A mobile phone represented “the many memories” she made with her friends, a Coldplay album symbolised her plans to see the group in August, while a globe indicated her love of travel - she had wanted to go to America, especially New York.

A dedicated student, she had planned to go to university to study sociology and criminology, mourners heard.

Fr Deveney said Kamile was much loved by her family and friends.

“There was one characteristic that they always spoke about Kamile, and that was her joy,” he told mourners.

“She had this bubbly attitude, very sociable. She was maybe a little bit shy at the beginning, but once she got going she could talk.”

He continued: “She loved her family and was very good to her little sister, who was very special to her, and who she cherished and loved.

“She was a very good friend, willing to help friends in the smallest ways - not only the big things but the small things too.”

He added: “Her laugh was infectious, and she was someone committed who had her future planned.

“Her uncle told me she had more planned ahead of her life than any of us would have had.

“She had planned to go to university to study sociology and criminology, but her plans weren’t to be.”

Mr Moore (19) was from Festival Park in Omagh and worked as a security guard in the town’s Asda store.

His funeral will take place this afternoon at Mountjoy Presbyterian Church near Omagh.