The sister of a woman mauled to death by her pet dogs last week told her funeral mass today that the heart of their family had been “shattered” by the tragedy.
Nicole Lisa Marie Morey, (23), originally from Bawnmore View, Limerick City, was killed by her dogs at her home in Fedamore Co Limerick, last Tuesday night.
Ms Morey had been out celebrating her 23rd birthday, and when she returned to her house her dogs attacked and killed her.
Ms Morey’s sister, Jolene Morey, told mourners at the funeral mass held at the Holy Family parish church, Southill: “Our hearts are shattered for the rest of our lives”.
“Our family tree is broken, and I'm trying my best to stay so strong on the outside, but on the inside it's hurting so much that no one will ever know.”
“To my loving sister, never in a million years did I think I'd be here at your funeral. You were so loving and caring, you never deserved any of this,” Jolene Morey said.
Memories of happier times when they were children organising their own colouring books competitions “will live on forever”, she said.
“Every day we would laugh and joke, Nicole would sing her heart and soul out every morning.”
“There was no closer bond than me and my sister Nicole, she was like a mother figure to me and my brothers – her nickname was “Mothers” – there was nothing in life Nicole wouldn't do for us.”
“I'm going to be so lost without you (Nicole), I will love and miss you, but I know you will be right by my side through all of this hard time. please watch over us, Nicole, we need you more than ever now, and I love and miss you forever.”
Nicole Morey kept four dogs which were all on a restricted breeding list.
When gardai arrived at the house they encountered a number of aggressive dogs and Ms Morey in a critical condition. She was pronounced dead at this scene.
Former parish priest Southill, Fr Pat Hogan, told mourners Ms Morey’s family had been consumed by “a tragedy, a darkness, unbelievable grief, shock-horror”.
“We must try to remember Nicole for her generosity, kindness and beauty,” Fr Hogan said.
“Nicole meant a lot to many people, she was full of life, engaging, pleasant, kind and very good company, she was wonderful, she was beautiful.”
“We gather in a sense of great shock and horror of a great tragedy that took place, and I'm sure it opens up other tragedies for other people here, great losses, and it seems in the heart of it, everything is lost, but all is not lost, including our sense of Nicole’s goodness, what she meant to people, what she brought to the world, her beauty and goodness and generosity is not lost to our hearts.”
Nicole Morey’s devastated father, Patrick O’Donnell, fought back tears as he paid tribute to “our baby girl Nicole, a special girl”.
“As you grew up, your beauty and your smile got bigger and better. You were a girl that would do anything in your power to help anyone and do it with a smile on your face, and no one could say ‘no’ to you,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“I always looked forward to seeing you smile, we will miss you dearly, you will be forever 23, and most of all, you’ll forever be in our hearts.”
“We love you and we miss you every day, please give us all the strength, that we need to get through this — Sleep tight our baby girl, rest easy,” Mr O’Donnell concluded.
Some of Ms Morey’s ten siblings laid mementos from her short life beside her coffin, including her laptop, representing “her love of social media especially TikTok she always wanted to go viral” it was heard.
Ms Morey’s “mobile phone”, her personal “Alexa” voice service, and a “vape” were all presented at the altar, as were “a can of Red Bull and a scratch card” as a reminder that “Nicole was always full of energy and would try her luck on anything”.
A teddy bear was left by a loved one to show “how carefree her inner child was”, fake eyelashes and nails were also presented for their “beauty queen”, as were family photos to show her love for her nearest and dearest.
Ms Morey’s mother Lisa Morey wept and touched her daughter’s coffin as it was brought out of the church to a waiting hearse.
Nicole Morey, who is survived by her parents, Lis and Patrick, stepparents, Joseph and Nicola, brothers and sisters, was laid to rest in Mount Saint Oliver Cemetery, Limerick.
