‘He wore his great big heart openly on his sleeve’ mourners told at funeral of ‘legend’ Gary McConaghy

Just seven weeks after his father Mickey died, hundreds lined the streets of Lurgan to say a final farewell to 35-year-old Gary McConaghy.
Gary Freddie McConaghy.Gary Freddie McConaghy.
Gary Freddie McConaghy.

Gary, a very well known and popular young man, died suddenly last Thursday (July 23)

As the cortege left his family home in Downshire Avenue, residents stood in their gardens and lined the route to St Paul’s Church to pay their respects.

At his Requiem Mass, Fr Colm Wright reached out to his mother Marian saying: “I don’t think there is anything worse in the world than to lose your child.”

He recalled happy memories of Mickey, Marian and the McConaghy family over the years and how well Marian cared for her husband throughout his illness.

“I could see that Gary was struggling greatly,” said Fr Wright. “I think Mickey would have known only too well the terrible struggle, how hard it was.”

Deacon Rev. Mr. Gerry Heaney, who is related to the family, said: “Gary was so well known. He was a very popular person and yet here we are with just his family, some friends and some parishioners here in church.

“It seems so surreal but as we all know we are living in strange times due to the restrictions that have been imposed on us by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“If these were normal times this church would be overflowing such was Gary’s popularity. But knowing Gary’s caring nature, he would have wanted us to do our best to respect the guidelines to keep people safe and healthy at this unusual time.

“Gary was a much loved son and brother and, it was only several weeks ago, when we gathered here to grieve over another lost treasure, Gary’s beloved father Mickey. Mickey’s death, in a way, was not really unexpected. He had been ill for some time but Gary’s sudden and untimely death at the age of 35 has plunged the lives of his family into darkness and sent shockwaves out throughout the whole community.

“Gary was a big figure in the lives of his family but he was also a big figure in all of our lives.

“I know all of us who are here today are completely gutted at having to be here doing what we are doing. Things aren’t meant to be like this. Everything is meant to be different. We all, in a sense, feel numb and all of us are bothered by the question, why? We will never know and even if we did know the answer our pain would not be any less nor our sorrow any lighter.

“Gary had good days and bad days and our Lord Jesus is only too aware of the pressures and the pain he may have been experiencing.

“It is no secret that Gary had his demons, demons which he tried to fight but sadly which took his life last Thursday.

“Gary died in his sleep from natural causes. His heart gave up as a result of his addictions. And before anyone blames Gary, let us remember that there go I but for the Grace of God.

“So today, despite the sharpness of our pain, we give thanks for the good son Gary has been to Marian and his recently deceased father Mickey, for the much loved brother he has been, for the much loved uncle and for the dear friend who is going to missed so much by so many.

“Today is a sad day but we should all try and remember the fond memories we have of Gary and I am sure many of you here and watching online can recall many great times with Gary.

“Gary McConaghy, like his father Mickey, was so well known and highly regarded throughout the community and indeed the town for his love of life and laughter. He was the life and soul of a party and enjoyed socialising and going out.

“When the sad news of his death broke last Thursday social media has been flooded with tributes to Gary who touched so many lives with his chat and laughter.

“Many are in shock and sorrow at the loss of Gary. He was a big part of the Taghnevan community and beyond.

“There are many great things you could say about Gary. He was very much an open book. What you saw is what you got. He wore his great big heart openly on his sleeve and this was a quality which endeared him to so many people whose lives he touched.

“He was great with people. The bonds he forged over the years with people he encountered were truly remarkable. Gary just had that wonderful gift of connecting with the people he came in contact with. He was a kind of magnet for people and he will be remembered for his kindness, his generosity, his sincerity and of course, his wit and his humour. Gary certainly enjoyed the craic and the banter and he could wind you up, just like his father. Like father like son.

“Gary certainly lived life to the full. He was a great chef. He loved to cook and whatever he cooked was beautiful.

“As we all know he loved to sing especially at a Karaoke night and entertained so many.

“he loved the scooters and survived so many scrapes. On one occasion he went to the butcher’s on his scooter to get some meat and put it in a bag above the engine at the back and told everyone when he got home the meat was cooked.

“He was always wise-cracking. That was Gary.

“The more we think of Gary and all of his good qualities the more we are confounded by the nature of his death.

“Gary was intelligent, his death senseless. Gary was gentle, his death traumatic. Gary was generous, kind and compassionate yet his death deprives us all of his presence.

“Gary was a young man whose life was filled with such promise, his death cut short all of that promise.

“Gary was given to a family who deeply loved him, who did all they could to help him. His death now leaves them without him.

“Gary was a young man who prayed, who received the sacraments, who listened to God’s word and yet his death is not what God willed for him.

“I so wish that today I could stand here and make sense of Gary’s death but I am at a loss.

“It is not easy, far from it,”

“Gary’s life has now come full circle. He was a legend like his father who has left us all too soon. He will be greatly missed and all our lives are going to be much quieter.

“He is at peace now. No more demons, he has no more sickness or pain. He is now reunited with his father whom he adored and who adored him.”

So highly thought of, almost 300 people donated more than £5,500 towards the cost of Gary’s funeral after an online appeal.

Gary McConaghy was the dearly beloved son of Marian and the late Mickey and much loved brother of Aisling, Orla, Ciara, Conal, Ronan and Conor, and loving uncle to Laila, Beth, Aoibhe, Joseph, Charlie, Emily and Jude.

His funeral took place on Sunday July 26 at St Paul’s Church in Lurgan with interment afterwards in St Colman’s Cemetery.

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