Collooney left in shock after Eamon’s death
The parents of a young man who died last week after a mother bike crash said yesterday, Monday, that “no son had ever made a father and mother more proud”.
Twenty-six year old Eamon Gaffney, Knockbeg, Collooney lost his life on Thursday evening at 8pm when his motorbike hit a tree at Killross, four miles from Collooney.
His grieving family paid moving tributes to him yesterday.
Eamon’s funeral Mass was concelebrated in the Church of the Assumption on Sunday by Fr. Pat Peyton PP Collooney; Fr. AB O’Shea PP Riverstown /Sooey; Fr. Tom Towey, PP Ballisodare and Fr. Carroll, Sligo General Hospital.
The music was provided by Mairéad Keane, assisted by her sister Martina, from Collooney. The coffin was carried up the hill from Shane’s house into the Church, which was packed with silent grieving people.
About twenty of Eamon’s close mates, wearing white shirts, black suits and ties were there in support to the otherwise small family;
Parents Rose and Seamus, two brothers Shane and Barry, Eamon’s girlfriend Marie Taheny, one niece Kyra, Grandparents Brendan and Mary Gaffney, relatives and friends.
Among the personal items carried to the altar were milk, Calvita cheese, a grey International NW 200 Championship T-Shirt, car keys, driving licence and a FIFA playstation game.
In his homily Fr. Carroll described the scene at the hospital; the sun sinking around two ambulances, the circle of weeping whispering immediate family and friends huddled in groups, Rose and Seamus trying to take it all in. Then he spoke of the Gaffney family home at Knockbeg Collooney, which Eamon and Barry had been renovating on the day of the accident and of the memory garden with saplings and trees labelled and dated commemorating all the family special occasions, happy and sad.
When the Mass ended five of Eamon’s close mates approached the pulpit where two, Cathal O’Connor and Eamon Towey delivered touching reflections. There were three
rounds of applause. A family friend said the theme of this sad occasion was hope, not despair; look forward and rejoice for the life that Eamon had, rather than looking back with regret and despair.
The coffin was again carried from the Collooney Roundabout and laid to rest in St. Nathy’s cemetery.
Eamon’s brother Shane is a member of the Owenmore Gaels Club who formed a Guard of Honour and the final moving tribute was paid by close friend Shane Taffe who sang ‘Raglan Road’ at his place of rest .
Collooney left in shock after Eamon’s death,
Category: Featured Articles, News
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
