A million words would not bring you back, i know because i've tried, nor could a million tears, i know because i've cried.......
The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them. On the night of Saturday July 2nd 2006, 16-year-old Anita Swift, 17-year-old Danica O’Rourke, and 21-year-olds Jonathan McDonald and Peter Leonard were partying in the Buzz night-club in Lisnaskea. At the end of the night, they all piled into a car with Jonathan’s 19-year-old cousin Daniel McDonald and Danica’s 19-year-old cousin Daniel McDonnell but only two of them got out of it again alive. The Honda Civic went out of control at a bend on the Moorlough Road, swerved for around 200 yards and smashed into a tree. All four rear seat passengers - Anita and Jonathan from Newtownbutler and Peter and Danica from Lisnaskea - were killed instantly. The accident occured at around 3.30am. Within minutes, emergency services arrived but to no avail.
At 16 years of age, Anita Swift was the youngest victim of this devastating accident. Her short life was packed full of experiences; she had already travelled widely and had been crowned Irish, European and World Line Dancing Champion. At her funeral, Fr. Michael King told mourners that she had “danced her way into the hearts of everyone she met.” Born on January 6, 1990, she was the youngest daughter of Mary-Agnes and Philip Swift, Magheraveely Road, Newtownbutler. To her parents and her siblings Stephen, Sandra and Jaqueline, she was the “golden child” of the family. Jaqueline (23) said: “I always wanted a wee sister so when she arrived she was my baby. She was the usual teenager, she had five personalities - one for school, one for home, and so on!” Anita attended St Mary’s Primary School in Newtownbutler and then St Fanchea’s Secondary School in Enniskillen. “She was so so quiet in primary school until she went to St Fanchea’s,” recalled Jacqueline. At secondary school Anita studied hard and gathered around her a group of close friends. She had recently completed her GCSE’s and had hopes of becoming a PE teacher. Outside of school she excelled at line dancing with local dance troupe Buckles and Boots and travelled worldwide to various international dancing competitions. In January 2005 she danced in Nashville where she was awarded the title of Teen Newcomer World Champion. In April 2005 she danced in Holland and won the Pro-Am Novice Teen European Championship. She also won the Irish Championship for the last two years in a row. Anita hoped to follow the footsteps of her dance teacher Aravon McCann and apply for Strictly Dance Fever when she turned 18. Earlier this year she travelled with fellow St Fanchea’s pupils to Sri Lanka where she taught Irish sports. Mary Connolly, principal of St Fanchea’s, said that Anita “had it all”. “She was just full of promise. She had a lot of experiences and she managed to be a successful dancer as well as a very good student. She had just completed her GCSE’s and was expected to do very well and go on to get her A levels.”
Anita was one of my dearest friends, since I met her many years ago at line dancing. She was a gorgeous girl who had the most beautiful infectious smile, an optimistic and upbeat attitude, a bubbling personality and an unrivalled lust for life. A truly special girl, who touched the hearts of all who knew her and has left us with some wonderful memories of her. Loved so dearly by all her friends, held so close and so well respected by so many. Such a talented dancer, she was a true superstar, my little dancing queen! Dance floors throughout the world will be much darker without the shining light that was Anita…She always was one of my little angels, and now she has her wings. I know she is shining down on me, with her beautiful smile, as the brightest star in heaven. R.I.P. Anita baby, I love you so much, always will. I'll never forget what an amazing person you were and I'll miss you terribly, until the day I die. Your memory will live with me forever and I know you'll always be my little angel looking down on me from heaven. You have already done so much for me, if it wasn't for you, I would have quit dancing by now. Ur encouragement and optimism reignited my love of dance, and I began to look at life positively, as you always did. Thank you for all you have done for me baby, I’m sorry I never got a chance to repay you, but I will find a way...
May her soul rest in peace and my condolences are with her family and other friends...
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Love you forever babe, you’ll always have your place in my heart...Lindy
LONESTAR - NOT A DAY GOES BY
Got a picture of you, I carry in my heart
Close my eyes to see it, when the night gets dark
Got a memory of you, I carry in my soul
Wrap it close around me, when the world gets cold
If you asked me how I'm doing, I'd say just fine
But the truth is baby, if you could read my mind
Not a day goes by, that I don't think of you
After all this time, you're still with me it's true
Somehow you remain, locked so deep inside
That baby, baby, oh, baby, not a day goes by
I still wait for the phone, in the middle of the night
Thinking you might call me, if your dreams don't turn out right
And it still amazes me, that I lie here in the dark
Wishin' you were next to me, with your head against my heart
Minutes turn to hours, and the hours to days
Seems it's been forever, that I felt this way
Not a day goes by, that I don't think of you
After all this time, you're still with me it's true
Somehow you remain, locked so deep inside
That baby, baby, oh, baby, not a day goes by
