FATHER RECALLS A KIND-HEARTED SON WHO WAS ALWAYS FULL OF FUN
Father recall kind-hearted who was always full of fun
Agonising wait for family before they receive news that brother was never coming
"AIDAN was a very kind-hearted person who was always fun to be with."
Those were the words Michael Gallagher chose to describe his only son, who died after going shopping for a pair of jeans on Saturday afternoon.
And as friends and relatives gathered to support the young motor mechanic's grieving family this week, the full tragedy of his death was only just beginning to emerge.
His mother, Patricia and sisters Sharon (25) and Kathy (20) were forced to endure an agonising 14 hour wait until Michael returned home in the early hours with heartbreaking news.
"Daddy came in and he threw his arms around mammy and we all knew. He didn't have to speak any words" said Sharon.
And at yesterday's Requiem Mass in St Mary's Church, Knockmoyle, Bishop Francis Lagan commented on the depth of love which clearly existed within the Gallagher home.
"For Mr and Mrs Gallagher, Sharon and Kathy, their sorrow is very deep and their pain is unbearable.
"The loss of Aidan is immeasurable to them and to the community at large. He was cruelly killed in what should have been the greatest year in his life.
"He was a loving person, one who gave a lot of love and received much love.
"The words spoken by his father Michael and his sister Sharon touched us all and showed how deep is the love that exists in their home."
Bishop Lagan - who Confirmed Adrian in the same church ten years ago -said the dreadful atrocity committed in Omagh on Saturday affected not only the individual families who had lost loved ones, but the whole community, plunging it into a state of shock, confusion and sorrow.
"There were so many acts of heroic kindness that it would be impossible to list them all, but what we know for certain is that good will always overcome evil and that this community has now a bond that can never be broken because of the heartache they have experienced together" added Bishop Lagan.
Twenty-one year old Aidan had broken his normal Saturday routine of mending cars, to go into town to buy new clothes for a night out.
Speaking this week from the family home at 23A Circular Road, sister Sharon recalled a brother who was "Such a huge part of the family."
"He was a very, very good person and I'm so glad that I got to share so much of his life. But he had a lot more to live for and I've been robbed of it.
"When Aidan died, not one member of his family was with him.
"Daddy was down at the Leisure Centre and he kept trying on the phone, ringing all the hospitals. But his name was not coming up on any of the lists.
"All along we always thought he might be still alive. We hear about this sort of thing happening to others, but not to the Gallaghers of Circular Road."
After leaving St Patrick's High School, Aidan spent three years studying for his Light Vehicle Body Repairs degree at Portadown College.
His family planned to place his graduation photograph next to his coffin this week.
Michael said it was "almost unbelievable" that he should be talking about his son's death in such tragic circumstances.
"He was just a big, very strong and sturdily built young lad who lived for enjoying himself and lived for cars. He enjoyed life and didn't take anything too serious.
"He would never have got involved in any sort of trouble, sectarian or otherwise, and never gave us any bother.
"It just seems unreal that he should die with so little meaning" he said.
Their son's death on Saturday afternoon was the second tragedy to strike the Gallagher family.
Fourteen years ago, Michael's brother, Hugh (26) was shot dead in his taxi, just off the main Omagh to Cookstown road.
"It just seems the second time around you know some of the things that are going to happen.
"It really brings it back and it doesn't make it any easier. Actually it makes it a lot worse because you know that it is so futile.
"Everybody thought we had peace. All five members of the family voted for peace in the Referendum, Aidan included. That was what we wanted.
"We were never ever sectarian. Bigotry would be the worst sin in this house. Our friends are both Protestant and Catholic, and that the way it's been and always will be" he added.
Agonising wait for family before they receive news that brother was never coming
"AIDAN was a very kind-hearted person who was always fun to be with."
Those were the words Michael Gallagher chose to describe his only son, who died after going shopping for a pair of jeans on Saturday afternoon.
And as friends and relatives gathered to support the young motor mechanic's grieving family this week, the full tragedy of his death was only just beginning to emerge.
His mother, Patricia and sisters Sharon (25) and Kathy (20) were forced to endure an agonising 14 hour wait until Michael returned home in the early hours with heartbreaking news.
"Daddy came in and he threw his arms around mammy and we all knew. He didn't have to speak any words" said Sharon.
And at yesterday's Requiem Mass in St Mary's Church, Knockmoyle, Bishop Francis Lagan commented on the depth of love which clearly existed within the Gallagher home.
"For Mr and Mrs Gallagher, Sharon and Kathy, their sorrow is very deep and their pain is unbearable.
"The loss of Aidan is immeasurable to them and to the community at large. He was cruelly killed in what should have been the greatest year in his life.
"He was a loving person, one who gave a lot of love and received much love.
"The words spoken by his father Michael and his sister Sharon touched us all and showed how deep is the love that exists in their home."
Bishop Lagan - who Confirmed Adrian in the same church ten years ago -said the dreadful atrocity committed in Omagh on Saturday affected not only the individual families who had lost loved ones, but the whole community, plunging it into a state of shock, confusion and sorrow.
"There were so many acts of heroic kindness that it would be impossible to list them all, but what we know for certain is that good will always overcome evil and that this community has now a bond that can never be broken because of the heartache they have experienced together" added Bishop Lagan.
Twenty-one year old Aidan had broken his normal Saturday routine of mending cars, to go into town to buy new clothes for a night out.
Speaking this week from the family home at 23A Circular Road, sister Sharon recalled a brother who was "Such a huge part of the family."
"He was a very, very good person and I'm so glad that I got to share so much of his life. But he had a lot more to live for and I've been robbed of it.
"When Aidan died, not one member of his family was with him.
"Daddy was down at the Leisure Centre and he kept trying on the phone, ringing all the hospitals. But his name was not coming up on any of the lists.
"All along we always thought he might be still alive. We hear about this sort of thing happening to others, but not to the Gallaghers of Circular Road."
After leaving St Patrick's High School, Aidan spent three years studying for his Light Vehicle Body Repairs degree at Portadown College.
His family planned to place his graduation photograph next to his coffin this week.
Michael said it was "almost unbelievable" that he should be talking about his son's death in such tragic circumstances.
"He was just a big, very strong and sturdily built young lad who lived for enjoying himself and lived for cars. He enjoyed life and didn't take anything too serious.
"He would never have got involved in any sort of trouble, sectarian or otherwise, and never gave us any bother.
"It just seems unreal that he should die with so little meaning" he said.
Their son's death on Saturday afternoon was the second tragedy to strike the Gallagher family.
Fourteen years ago, Michael's brother, Hugh (26) was shot dead in his taxi, just off the main Omagh to Cookstown road.
"It just seems the second time around you know some of the things that are going to happen.
"It really brings it back and it doesn't make it any easier. Actually it makes it a lot worse because you know that it is so futile.
"Everybody thought we had peace. All five members of the family voted for peace in the Referendum, Aidan included. That was what we wanted.
"We were never ever sectarian. Bigotry would be the worst sin in this house. Our friends are both Protestant and Catholic, and that the way it's been and always will be" he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0030
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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