A MOTHER and daughter who died in a road traffic collision in Co. Cavan have been laid to rest.
Author and former journalist Nell Saffron Raven, 53, passed away at the scene of the incident in Shercock on Friday, July 24.
Her 10-year-old daughter Irena (Ira) Raven Mereacre died in hospital four days later.
The mother and daughter were laid to rest in the same coffin following their funeral at St Patrick’s Church in Milltown on Saturday.
Addressing those gathered, Ms Raven’s husband and Ira’s father said the family had built a happy life together in Cavan after moving from England in 2019.
“Is there any justice or is there any meaning in what happened?” asked Alexandru Mereacre.
“I do not know but perhaps like in all stories, not just the beginning, or the middle or the end, but the whole story is all that matters.”
Life in Ireland
Ms Raven and Ira were brought into the church in a wicker coffin to the tune of one of their favourite songs, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
Gifts were then brought to the altar to celebrate their lives, including flowers and a book by Ms Raven’s favourite author, George Orwell.
They were placed next to Ira’s favourite teddy and her Irish dancing shoes, which she wore while representing Cavan on the Late Late Toy Show’s County Parade in December 2025.
It was revealed that the young girl’s organs had been donated to help four children, giving them the ‘gift of life’.
Irena Raven Mereacre wowed viewers with her Irish dancing as she represented Cavan in the Late Late Toy Show’s County Parade in December 2025 (Image: rollingnews.ie)Mourners heard how Ms Raven was born in Wales and later worked as a journalist in Pakistan for a number of years.
She returned to England to study at Oxford where she met Mr Mereacre in 2013 before the couple married the following year.
Ms Raven, who had daughters Eveline and Violet with her first husband, gave birth to Ira in 2016.
The family moved to Southampton before relocating to Ireland in 2019 after Brexit, with Ms Raven having had fond memories of visiting the Ballinasloe Horse Fair as a teenager.
The family settled in Cavan where Ira attended Milltown National School, while Ms Raven, who was last year diagnosed with cancer, recently became an Irish citizen.
‘This is where we belong’
“It was very hard in the beginning but when the pandemic started in March 2020 we fell in love with a very old Irish cottage in Cavan,” said Mr Mereacre.
“We didn’t hesitate to buy it and we made it our new and only home.
“When Irena and Eveline joined the Milltown school, we knew that this is our place, this is where we belong.
“From there on we had a very happy life together.
“Nell raised a family, worked on her book, made new friends, restored the cottage, fought cancer and was the best wife I could wish for.
“Irena found new friends, joined the local clubs, practiced Irish dance, attended the Late Late Toy Show, played musical instruments, learnt how to cook, learnt how to read, learnt how to draw and make art.
“And most importantly, learnt how to be a kind sister, a kind daughter and a very good friend.”
The mother and daughter departed the church to one of Ira’s favourite songs, Avicii’s Hey Brother, before being laid to rest in Drumlane Cemetery.
Everything from irishpost.com and the print edition is available on the Irish Post App — plus more! Download it for Android or Apple IOS devices today.