Funeral Cortege

Weekend before last we had a very sad happening here in Arklow when a young man of just 18 vanished on the Sunday night after attending a disco. He was last seen somewhere along the riverbank so a big search was immediately mounted. At times during the week there were as many as 300 local people out helping the police. Eventually on Friday, 5 days later, his remains were found just down river from the office I work in. We watched through the windows for most of the day until eventually the sirens sounded and the divers rported success.
This morning as I drove down the main street, the funeral cortege came wending its way from the church to the graveyard.
You will note that although the practice isn't followed everywhere in Ireland, here in Arklow it is still the custom for the mourners (and half the town this morning) to walk in slow procession behind the hearse.
You may ask me why I shoukd choose to blip such an unhappy occasion. Well, I do so as a warning. Be sure you know that your young people are safe. That if they insist on drinking heavily, that they do so in safe surroundingd ans with good company. And finally, if you see even the slightest change in mood or behaviour that you pay special attention to what might be happening in their lives.