Glowing tributes were paid this week to “a lovely, gentle soul” who died suddenly on Saturday, aged 23.

Shauna Reilly, from Drumbeg, Enniskillen was the youngest child of Jacqueline (née Flanagan) and Michael Reilly and granddaughter of the late Hugh Flanagan, former teacher from Derrygonnelly. She will be deeply missed by her loving parents and her sisters Michelle and Emma. 

Shauna, who worked as a retail assistant in Erneside’s New Look store, turned 23 last week.

She was known for her bright hair and brighter lipstick and is described as being “so bright and beautiful”. It was only fitting then that bright colours were worn by mourners at the young woman’s funeral at St. Michael’s Church on Wednesday, which was followed by burial in Cross Cemetery. 

Praising her younger sister, Emma Reilly said: “Shauna was our baby. She was so bright and beautiful. She loved her makeup and her bright hair. She would always dye her hair and sometimes she dyed the dog’s hair too – the dog was green for St. Patrick’s Day and red for Christmas! She always wore bright lipstick and that’s why we’ve asked her friends to wear bright colours to her funeral. She was a lovely, gentle soul – so kind.”

Shauna’s kindness was demonstrated through her approach to strangers and her volunteering role with Headways brain injury support group in Enniskillen. Emma explains: “We were at the Christmas markets in Belfast last year and we couldn’t find Shauna. When we found her, she was buying tea for the homeless people.

“She used to get so many comments into the store (New Look) about her kindness. On one occasion a customer wrote to the store praising Shauna. She was a plus sized lady who was embarrassed but Shauna got her dressed in a dignified way and the lady really appreciated that.

“She volunteered with Headways and took the group every Wednesday for arts and crafts or for days out. She touched loads of lives, even those she met for a short time.”

A former pupil of Holy Trinity Primary School, St. Fanchea’s College and Mount Lourdes Grammar School, Shauna excelled in science. She embarked on university degrees in Forensic Science in Newcastle and Psychology in London but became unable to complete her studies. Emma added: “Shauna had a lot of mental health problems. She wasn’t able for a lot of things in the last couple of years. 

“This is shocking. As a family we are just trying to get through this. Christmas is irrelevant in our house this year. Mental health is such a problem, especially at this time of year. I would call on young people who are feeling like that to reach out.”

The family have taken comfort from the hundreds of people who have offered their condolences since Saturday, including the many young people from across England and Northern Ireland who have travelled to Enniskillen to say goodbye to Shauna.

They are grateful to Monsignor Peter O’Reilly and Father Brian D’Arcy who conducted Shauna’s removal on Tuesday evening, Father Raymond Donnelly who conducted her Funeral Mass, and Reverend David Cupples, who paid his respects to the young woman who had recently reached out to Enniskillen Presbyterian Church.

Shauna’s grieving sister concluded: “Any room Shauna walked into, she lit it up. She’s a little angel.”