Darren Marshall had a way of ‘making everyone feel special, of turning strangers into friends’ and never left without saying ‘I love you’, his funeral heard today.

St Paul’s Church in Lurgan was packed with people paying their respects to the 28-year-old who tragically died on Sunday.

Darren Marshall: 'Community in shock as tributes flood social media following tr...

Darren Marshall, a father of 2, died tragically in Lurgan, Co Armagh on Sunday.

placeholder image — Darren Marshall, a father of 2, died tragically in Lurgan, Co Armagh on Sunday.

The priest at his funeral shared thoughts from his family who said he was ‘really was one of a kind, the most loving person, the most devoted son with a heart that was bigger than anything’.

"From he was wee his cheeky smile and big personality were impossible to miss. He was always the one pulling faces in photos and making everyone around him laugh.

"Darren grew up in a home filled with love and laughter. He attended St Francis PS and it was clear, even then, that he was full of energy and spirit.

"He had a passion for Gaelic football and played proudly for both the school team and St Peter’s GAA Club throughout his childhood.

"Darren loved going to watch Armagh matches with his dad and it was a special bond that they shared.

"Darren loved family holidays growing up. He especially loved going to water parks and was always first in line for the biggest slide.

"From the age of 15 he started working with his dad as an electrician’s mate. He worked at home and away and was a quick learner.

"Later in life Darren’s greatest joy came with the birth of his two children Fianna and Jayden. They were his entire world. He loved nothing more than spending time with them and days out. He absolutely adored them and they adored him in return.

"He always told his mum, ‘my kids are the most important thing in my life’ and he meant it with all his heart.

"Darren had a wide circle of friends and was loved deeply by them all. He had a way of making everyone feel special, of turning strangers into friends.

"His relationship with his family was just as strong. He was especially close with his nanny Geraldine and his cousin Laura. And we find some comfort knowing he is reunited with them along with his best friend Glenn and Granny Alice up in heaven.”

He loved cooking, joking that he was the best cook around and he loved fishing when he was younger. “He had a fantastic singing voice – never shy about belting out a tune at the top of his lungs.

"More than anything Darren was helpful, kind and generous. If someone needed help, whether a friend, a neighbour or a stranger he was the first to offer a hand. People just loved him – his warmth, his humour, his big heart. He made a lasting impression on everyone he met.

"And one thing his family will always hold close, he never left without saying ‘I love you’ – every single time no matter what. He made sure they all knew just how much they meant to him.”

The son of Elaine and Gary Marshall, Darren was the brother of Amy and James and daddy to Fianna and Jayden.