A HEARTBROKEN Northside mother is finally able to put to rest the circumstances in which her teenage daughter was killed two years ago.
Fifteen-year-old Rebekah Kiely died after she was struck with a baseball bat during a frenzied alcohol-fuelled attack outside St Bridget’s GAA club in Castleknock on November 10, 2006.
The musically talented and outgoing young girl was socialising with friends when a row occurred in the car park of the club.
It is believed she went to rescue a friend who was being attacked when a heavily intoxicated man swung the bat, which struck her head.
She suffered severe head injuries and died exactly two weeks later.
The jury, which presided over the inquest into her death, returned a verdict of unlawful killing last week.
The jury also found that the events which led to the Junior Cert student’s death had been influenced by the excessive consumption of alcohol by the rowing parties and recommended more stringent enforcement of the country’s licensing laws.
The inquest was told that the man who swung the bat had consumed at least 10 pints before the incident.
Rebekah’s heartbroken mother, Angela, told Northside People that the completion of the inquest was the end of a very sad chapter for many people.
“It was very difficult for us as a family and for the teenagers who gave statements in relation to the events of that night,” she said,
“Obviously, while we could never be happy with what happened that night, we were glad that the inquest has put some things to rest.

“We’re happy that people now know that Rebekah was just an innocent bystander who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Our world has been turned upside down since that fateful night. We prayed for a miracle but it never happened. There is now a very big gap in our lives, which can never be filled and we will have to live with this heartache forever.
She added: “Rebekah’s life was robbed and we in turn have also been robbed.”
Angela recalled the last time she saw her “beautiful daughter” alive and well.
“She left our house that evening full of life,” she explained.                                                                                                                                                                                                                “She said she’s be back at the usual time but she never came home.
“Rebekah was a typical teenager who loved nothing more than spending time with her friends.”
Angela described her bubbly teenage daughter.
“She loved music, she studied the cello and piano and was a member of the local Fingal County Youth Orchestra,” she said.
“She loved children and was delighted to be asked to be godmother to my niece Emily.
“She was looking forward to her Junior Cert results night and had seen the dress she was going to wear.”
According to Angela, Rebekah’s death must not be in vain and lessons need to be learned.
“As a society we must never forget what happened to Rebekah on that night,” she said.
“When atrocities like this happen there is a big commotion at first and then it is all forgotten until it happens again.
“These men were served alcohol for up to eight hours in a pub that day.
“There is a law in force, the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act 2003, which states that a licensee should not allow drunkenness to take place on his premises, yet in this case the licensee has nothing to answer for.”
The Kielys’ solicitor, Michael Finucane, echoed the same sentiment.
“It does not appear from the evidence put before the jury that any effort was made by the gardai to prosecute the licensee responsible for serving alcohol to the men over a prolonged period,” he told Northside People.
“It was clearly open to the gardai to bring such prosecution under Section 4 [1] Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003. This was clearly a matter of serious concern for the Kiely family and for the jury as per the recommendation they made.”

• Much loved and badly missed, Rebekah Kiely had been influenced by the excessive consumption of alcohol by the rowing parties and recommended more stringent enforcement of the country’s licensing laws.
The inquest was told that the man who swung the bat had consumed at least 10 pints before the incident.
Rebekah’s heartbroken mother, Angela, told Northside People that the completion of the inquest was the end of a very sad chapter for many people.
“It was very difficult for us as a family and for the teenagers who gave statements in relation to the events of that night,” she said,
“Obviously, while we could never be happy with what happened that night, we were glad that the inquest has put some things to rest.
“We’re happy that people now know that Rebekah was just an innocent bystander who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Our world has been turned upside down since that fateful night. We prayed for a miracle but it never happened. There is now a very big gap in our lives, which can never be filled and we will have to live with this heartache forever.
She added: “Rebekah’s life was robbed and we in turn have also been robbed.”
Angela recalled the last time she saw her “beautiful daughter” alive and well.
“She left our house that evening full of life,” she explained.
“She said she’s be back at the usual time but she never came home.
“Rebekah was a typical teenager who loved nothing more than spending time with her friends.”
Angela described her bubbly teenage daughter.
“She loved music, she studied the cello and piano and was a member of the local Fingal County Youth Orchestra,” she said.
“She loved children and was delighted to be asked to be godmother to my niece Emily.
“She was looking forward to her Junior Cert results night and had seen the dress she was going to wear.”
According to Angela, Rebekah’s death must not be in vain and lessons need to be learned.
“As a society we must never forget what happened to Rebekah on that night,” she said.
“When atrocities like this happen there is a big commotion at first and then it is all forgotten until it happens again.
“These men were served alcohol for up to eight hours in a pub that day.
“There is a law in force, the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act 2003, which states that a licensee should not allow drunkenness to take place on his premises, yet in this case the licensee has nothing to answer for.”
The Kielys’ solicitor, Michael Finucane, echoed the same sentiment.
“It does not appear from the evidence put before the jury that any effort was made by the gardai to prosecute the licensee responsible for serving alcohol to the men over a prolonged period,” he told       Northside People.
“It was clearly open to the gardai to bring such prosecution under Section 4 [1] Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003. This was clearly a matter of serious concern for the Kiely family and for the jury as per the recommendation they made.”
 

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