FUNERAL TAKES PLACE OF 29TH VICTIM OF OMAGH BOMB
Funeral takes place of 29th victim of Omagh bomb
'Sean was a great family man, a wonderful husband, an exemplary father and a friend to all' - Fr Francis Murray
BY: MICHELE CANNING
BOMBERS cruelly wiped out the life of Omagh man, Sean McGrath, on the very street where he was born, mourners heard at his funeral on Monday.
The 61 year old local businessman lost his fight for life on Saturday morning in the intensive care unit of Royal Victoria Hospital after sustaining horrific injuries in the Omagh bombing three weeks ago.
At his funeral at St Mary's Church in Killyclogher this week hundreds of mourners heard from Sean McGrath's lifelong friend how his life
had been taken from him on Market Street - his birthplace.
Mourners also heard that tragically, hopes had been raised that Sean would recover from the horrific injuries he sustained but it was not to be, bringing the death toll of the Omagh atrocity to 29.
At his funeral mass in St Mary's Church - where Sean visited twice a week - his family and friends gathered to pay their last respects to a man who epitomised everything that is good in Christian life.
Fr. Francis Murray, officiating, said Sean's death was not only an irreparable loss to the family but to the entire community.
He told mourners that a message of sympathy has been sent by Irish President, Mary McAleese, currently in Australia on a state visit.
He described Sean as a man of immense charity, a devout Catholic and a truly outstanding member of the community.
"Sean was a great family man, a wonderful husband, an exemplary father, a friend to all."
Speaking of the three week bedside vigil that Sean's wife, Nuala and children Noleen, Cara, Gavin and Connor had kept, Fr Murray said "they were hoping and praying that he would survive the horrific injuries sustained in the atrocity of August 15th at Market Street.
"I myself visited him last Wednesday and my own hopes were raised that Sean would pull through. But as we know God's will is not always our will.
"The two most prominent emotions in the hearts of everyone today are grief and bewilderment.
"Sean's untimely death has left us hurt, baffled and confused. Today, we walk with the McGrath family through this traumatic and difficult tragedy.
He said people would be tempted to allow the shadows of today is to darken the sunlight of all the tomorrows.
"To allow ourselves to interpret all of life in terms of this moment is neither honest nor healthy.
"Neither can we condemn all life as tragic. Life is both bad and good, ugly and beautiful, tragic and triumphalist.
"I have no simple solution for you Mrs McGrath or for your family for the grievous hurt in your today. We will walk through this hour with you to live, and love and laugh again. We will, I know we will.
He told mourners that the only thing that would deliver the community from this "terrible time" was faith in God.
"Reach deep inside your heart, take hold of your faith, do not let it go. Never let it go."
Auxiliary Bishop of Derry, Francis Lagan, in his address said the death of Sean was a particularly poignant loss as his family has hoped that he would survive.
"Enough has been said about those who carried out the evil act that caused Sean's death," he told mourners.
"They know how they stand in the eyes of the people of Omagh and the entire country and should forever hang their heads in shame.
"Today, we would rather talk not about agents of death but rather about agents of life, those doctors and nurses who tried so valiantly to restore Sean to life and with them we salute the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff of all the hospitals who have done and are still doing so much for the injured.
"We want also to talk about about Sean McGrath who man who stood for all that is good in life: a good husband, a good father, a good neighbour and friend.
"Those who know him use very naturally words like uprightness, integrity and generosity when describing him. These are wonderful and enduring qualities which must make you, his family, in spite of your pain of loss very proud of him."
The Bishop told the family "May you be sustained by the good memories you have of his love and care and may you be helped by support and prayers of this community who are united by a grief that has touched us all.
"It is with great confidence that we commend the soul of Sean McGrath to God."
A moving tribute was paid to Sean by his lifetime friend Ailis Gallagher from Campsie.
She told how she had known Sean from childhood from the time he slipped downstairs to help out in his father's business right through school to manhood.
"He loved his town, he loved being an Omagh man. He was born on Market Street and then he was tragically killed from Market Street."
Joining mourners at Mr McGrath's funeral were the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn, Martin McGuinness MP, West Tyrone assemblymen Pat Doherty, Barry McElduff and Joe Byrne, Chairman of Omagh Council, Sean Clarke, with councillors and members of the Omagh business community.
After Requiem Mass Mr McGrath's coffin was borne on a horse-drawn hearse to the Dublin Road Cemetary, passing the scene of the explosion.
'Sean was a great family man, a wonderful husband, an exemplary father and a friend to all' - Fr Francis Murray
BY: MICHELE CANNING
BOMBERS cruelly wiped out the life of Omagh man, Sean McGrath, on the very street where he was born, mourners heard at his funeral on Monday.
The 61 year old local businessman lost his fight for life on Saturday morning in the intensive care unit of Royal Victoria Hospital after sustaining horrific injuries in the Omagh bombing three weeks ago.
At his funeral at St Mary's Church in Killyclogher this week hundreds of mourners heard from Sean McGrath's lifelong friend how his life
had been taken from him on Market Street - his birthplace.
Mourners also heard that tragically, hopes had been raised that Sean would recover from the horrific injuries he sustained but it was not to be, bringing the death toll of the Omagh atrocity to 29.
At his funeral mass in St Mary's Church - where Sean visited twice a week - his family and friends gathered to pay their last respects to a man who epitomised everything that is good in Christian life.
Fr. Francis Murray, officiating, said Sean's death was not only an irreparable loss to the family but to the entire community.
He told mourners that a message of sympathy has been sent by Irish President, Mary McAleese, currently in Australia on a state visit.
He described Sean as a man of immense charity, a devout Catholic and a truly outstanding member of the community.
"Sean was a great family man, a wonderful husband, an exemplary father, a friend to all."
Speaking of the three week bedside vigil that Sean's wife, Nuala and children Noleen, Cara, Gavin and Connor had kept, Fr Murray said "they were hoping and praying that he would survive the horrific injuries sustained in the atrocity of August 15th at Market Street.
"I myself visited him last Wednesday and my own hopes were raised that Sean would pull through. But as we know God's will is not always our will.
"The two most prominent emotions in the hearts of everyone today are grief and bewilderment.
"Sean's untimely death has left us hurt, baffled and confused. Today, we walk with the McGrath family through this traumatic and difficult tragedy.
He said people would be tempted to allow the shadows of today is to darken the sunlight of all the tomorrows.
"To allow ourselves to interpret all of life in terms of this moment is neither honest nor healthy.
"Neither can we condemn all life as tragic. Life is both bad and good, ugly and beautiful, tragic and triumphalist.
"I have no simple solution for you Mrs McGrath or for your family for the grievous hurt in your today. We will walk through this hour with you to live, and love and laugh again. We will, I know we will.
He told mourners that the only thing that would deliver the community from this "terrible time" was faith in God.
"Reach deep inside your heart, take hold of your faith, do not let it go. Never let it go."
Auxiliary Bishop of Derry, Francis Lagan, in his address said the death of Sean was a particularly poignant loss as his family has hoped that he would survive.
"Enough has been said about those who carried out the evil act that caused Sean's death," he told mourners.
"They know how they stand in the eyes of the people of Omagh and the entire country and should forever hang their heads in shame.
"Today, we would rather talk not about agents of death but rather about agents of life, those doctors and nurses who tried so valiantly to restore Sean to life and with them we salute the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff of all the hospitals who have done and are still doing so much for the injured.
"We want also to talk about about Sean McGrath who man who stood for all that is good in life: a good husband, a good father, a good neighbour and friend.
"Those who know him use very naturally words like uprightness, integrity and generosity when describing him. These are wonderful and enduring qualities which must make you, his family, in spite of your pain of loss very proud of him."
The Bishop told the family "May you be sustained by the good memories you have of his love and care and may you be helped by support and prayers of this community who are united by a grief that has touched us all.
"It is with great confidence that we commend the soul of Sean McGrath to God."
A moving tribute was paid to Sean by his lifetime friend Ailis Gallagher from Campsie.
She told how she had known Sean from childhood from the time he slipped downstairs to help out in his father's business right through school to manhood.
"He loved his town, he loved being an Omagh man. He was born on Market Street and then he was tragically killed from Market Street."
Joining mourners at Mr McGrath's funeral were the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn, Martin McGuinness MP, West Tyrone assemblymen Pat Doherty, Barry McElduff and Joe Byrne, Chairman of Omagh Council, Sean Clarke, with councillors and members of the Omagh business community.
After Requiem Mass Mr McGrath's coffin was borne on a horse-drawn hearse to the Dublin Road Cemetary, passing the scene of the explosion.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0360
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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