‘Back with our Daddy’ – heartbreaking scenes at the funeral of tragic Tallaght siblings Christy, Chelsea and Lisa

“Your bravery and strength to raise the alarm, to go and get help is an inspiration of courage and love,” Mikey was told by chief celebrant of the mass, Fr Paul O'Driscoll, who is chaplain of the Dublin Travelling community.

Hundreds of mourners came to pay a final farewell to Lisa Cash (18) and her brother and sister, twins Chelsea and Christy (8), who died in an attack at their home last weekend.

Broken-hearted in her grief, Margaret, their mother came to church wearing a T-shirt bearing a picture of her beloved children, with the caption: “My three angels.”

She was flanked by family and friends who wore a similar T-shirt which read: “Our three angels.”

The small church at Brookfield was unable to hold all the mourners and so crowds spilled out onto the grass, standing silently.

Symbols of the beautiful and all-too-short lives of the three children were brought to the altar.

A collection of Elvis Presley albums and biographies was brought up for Lisa - who had “really enjoyed his music”, along with a book for learner drivers.

A football and football gloves was brought up for Christy, while a personalised crafted cushion and a teddy bear were brought for Chelsea.

President Michael D Higgins was represented by his aide de camp, Lt Stephen Howard, while the Taoiseach was represented by his aide de camp, Cpt Neil Dunne.

Superintendent Ian Mackey from Tallaght Garda station represented the Gardaí.

Fr O’Driscoll told the funeral that “uncertainty is the doorway into mystery” but that “great suffering and great love are the two universal paths to transformation”.

“Sudden and catastrophic crises shatter our illusions of normality,” he said.

But he reminded mourners that when the unexpected happens, we are not alone.

A green sports car was parked in the churchyard as a tribute to Christy’s great love of cars.

At the removal last night, hundreds more attended to pay their respects. A mass of floral tributes, with pictures of the children stood outside.

One picture of Lisa and her late father Andy Cash bore the words: "Back with my daddy."

Another of the twins Christy and Chelsea, whose father Billy Cawley is also deceased, read: "Back with our daddy."

The siblings’ brother, Andy Cash (24), has been charged with their murder at their home in the early hours of Sunday.