|
by Linda McGrory
A FLAT cap and a bingo book - the most fitting
offertory gifts for a quiet, country man who loved
the outdoors and whose only other distraction in
life was a game of bingo in the parish hall.
Mourners at yesterday's funeral mass for Hughie
Friel, 66, who died in Sunday's horror crash in
Inishowen, were told that the pensioner farmer was a
"lovely, quiet, pleasant gentleman" and a great
neighbour who would do anything for his friends.
Clonmany parish priest, Fr Fintan Diggin said Hughie
would be "sorely missed by this community in
particular, and generally in our parish".
"His life revolved around working the land, helping
his neighbours...a great friend to so many and his
only distraction was he loved the bingo."
St Michael's Church, Urris, was packed to
overflowing as friends, neighbours and relatives of
some of the other seven victims of the accident,
joined chief mourners, siblings, Eddie, Paddy,
Denis, Sally, Bridget and his nephew Tony, to bid
farewell to the kindly pensioner. |
Fr Diggin said Hughie
would not have wanted hurt and bitterness to come
out of his death. "I know that Hughie would not have
wanted the circumstances surrounding his death to
heap any more pain or suffering or grief on
anybody," said Fr Diggin.
He said if Hughie were alive, he would have hoped
everybody could forgive and understand.
"I am sure he would have used the phrase that has
been used so much these days 'there but for the
grace of God go I'."
Prayers were said at yesterday's 10am Requiem Mass
for the families of the other victims and for the
sole survivor of the accident, who Fr Diggin said
was "fighting for his life in Letterkenny Hospital".
Mass was concelebrated by Clonmany-born priest, Fr
Paul Farren and Urris-born priest, Fr Michael Canny
who is spokesman for the Bishop of Derry, Seamus
Hegarty.
A letter was also read out to the congregation from
Bishop Hegarty who offered his prayers and support
to the bereaved.
Fr Diggin said the mark of the Hughie the man, was
that he was of "great generosity and a forgiving
nature" He also praised the generous spirit of the
Friel family who attended the wakes of the other
victims.
"Members of Hughie's family found it in their hearts
to go to the families to sympathise with them, to
offer the hand of friendship and to pray for them."
"The family have in their own heartbreak and
suffering been looking out for the other families
affected."
The parish priest said fishing communities in
Inishowen had, over the decades, suffered many 'lost
at sea' tragedies but the profile had now changed to
"lost on land", namely the catalogue of multiple car
fatalities to hit the peninsula in recent years.
There were poignant scenes as the pensioner's coffin
was wheeled out of the small church by his
heartbroken siblings.
Mourners then followed his remains to their final
resting place in the adjoining cemetery under a
squall of heavy rain that hinted an early end to
summer for the people of Inishowen. |
