Too many like Lurgan murder victim Odhrán Kelly are ‘in early graves robbed of their lives through unnecessary violence' his funeral hears

St Peter’s Church in Lurgan was packed with a large number of young people in the congregation mourning the tragic death of a very popular young man who was ‘immensely loved’ by all who knew him.

Odhrán was found murdered a week ago, on Sunday December 3, in the Edward Street area of Lurgan. One man has appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with his murder while two women appeared before the same court charged with assisting an offender. A fourth man is due before the courts on Monday.

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Fr Colm Wright told the congregation of the ‘anger, overwhelming grief and sadness’ following Odhrán’s murder adding that it was a chance for the community to come together against violence.

Odhrán’s friend Jessica described a ‘kind and caring’ friend who lit up a room with his ‘most amazing presence’ and with the ‘most brilliant laugh’.

Fr Colm Wright said: “We come before the altar of God with broken hearts and with total disbelief at what has happened to young Odhrán. We are here to talk to God to let him know how we are feeling. We are here to call out to God and to let him know that we desperately need his help as we gather to pray for Odhrán.

"At this Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul we remember his Daddy Paul, his sister Sinead, his grandparents John and Lila, his uncles Mark and Brian and his aunt Coleen who have all gone before him.”

Fr Wright said: “At St Peter’s this afternoon we gather for another funeral of another victim of another episode of violence here in our town of Lurgan. Odhrán is the third person in Lurgan to be robbed of their young and valued lives in the last 12 months. Life is God’s gift to us, a precious gift to be respected, to be protected. Odhrán should be alive and should be planning for Christmas. Too many like him are in early graves robbed of their lives through violence, unnecessary violence, that brings not just the end of lives but the beginning of endless loss and misery, endless loss and misery for families, for friends and for communities.

"As Christians we believe Odhrán has a new life beyond this earth and we believe that the feelings of anger, overwhelming grief and sadness that are so understandable are also a sign that we do not accept violent deaths as normal. We insist on working for a world where peace reigns, where respect reigns, lives and triumphs no matter what.

"To honour Odhrán and all those not with us this Christmas tide because violence interrupted and ended their lives. On this very day, the day that we bury him, we gather to make of his life, the love of life and his unfair death, it is our opportunity to stand together as a community against violence and to stand together as a community that is for life.

"Odhrán was a young man whose adulthood had really just begun. He lost his Daddy at a young age and he was the light and he was the love of his family. Just the other night in his beautiful wee home, his Mummy, his brother and his two uncles shared many lovely stories about them as a family, about starting off going to school in Tannaghmore the whole way through to taking up his new role as a health care assistant which he was supposed to start tomorrow – a whole new chapter in his life, robbed.

“Odhrán was, what we would call, the child of the house. He had his own peculiar ways with his family many of them very, very funny. He was, in their words – and I think it was yourself Paul who described him as ‘charismatic’. No one knew him better than them.

"In the midst of them sharing stories and in the midst of the smiles in remembering his life and all the lovely things about his life, the beautiful things about his life, Jacqui stopped and paused – there was a silence and she said: ‘My son’s body is laying there in that coffin, my son who I carried and nurtured in my womb for nine months, is now laying in that coffin.”

Fr Wright said that on behalf of the community he wanted Odhrán’s family to know ‘how sorry we all were for their unbelievable loss’. “All of us know that your hearts are broken. Our love, our many prayers and our support, please know, will be with all of your forever.”

Odhrán’s close friend Jessica paid tribute to him at the end of Mass. She said: “Our beautiful Odhrán. It’s so hard to summarise someone as wonderful as Odhrán because there are simply not enough words to describe what an amazing person he was. The presence of people here today show the impact that Odhrán had on other people’s lives. He was loved immensely by his family and friends and we will forever keep on loving him.

"Odhrán was the most special kind of friend that you could have, kind, caring and always checking up on you – the kind of friend that made you laugh until your ribs were sore. Odhrán had the most brilliant laugh and everyone here will know just the laugh I am talking about. You always knew when he was close by because you would hear that laugh before you could see Odhrán. I know he is up there laughing at us all now saying ‘Oh I’m scundered’.

"When you were with Odhrán there was never a dull moment or a moment of silence. As we all know Odhrán could have talked the legs off a table. Odhrán brought nothing but joy to everyone around him. He had the most amazing presence, a presence that would light up any room he walked into. Odhrán’s best trait was his ability to put a smile on anyone’s face and it is these things for which he will be remembered.

"Odhrán, if you are listening, we want you to know that we love you more than you will ever know. We want you to know that Milo is safe and is enjoying his new life with a new brother and sister. Know that we are taking care of your beautiful mum Jacqui and brother Paul. Please share with us the strength to get through this life without you.

"You were the most wonderful friend to have and forever wouldn’t have been long enough with you. Rest in Peace Odhrán, we love you.”

Fr Colm Wright, just before Holy Communion, asked God ‘to bring peace amidst this heartbreak and this horror’ to Odhrán’s family.

Odhrán Kelly is the beloved son of Jacqueline and the late Paul, and the much-loved brother of Paul and the late Sinead. He is also the cherished grandson of Bernie and Colin Kelly and the late Lila and John Murray, a loving nephew of Peter and his partner Vanessa, Frank and his wife Maria, Damian, Gary and his partner Gerard, and the late Brian, Mark and Colleen.