Dad speaks of his heartache at graveside

DETECTIVE Colm Horkan’s heartbroken father said yesterday: “I didn’t think he would be going down before me.”

The Mayo man’s dad Marty has worked for many years as a funeral director and his son Dermot runs the family business in Charlestown.

Local priest Fr Tommy Johnston yesterday spoke about how the grief-stricken father was coping and how he was very proud of Colm.

The cleric met with Marty at the graveyard in Charlestown on Thursday.

He said: “Oh he was [very proud] And obviously he was saddened.

“He said, ‘I didn’t think that Colm would be going down before me’.

“It’s one of the great sadnesses I think when a parent has to stand at the grave of their child but that’s what has happened.”

Fr Johnston said it was difficult to find the words to comfort the family, but insisted visits by Colm’s friends and colleagues had helped.

He added: “Well you can say very little [to comfort them] and especially in the situation in which we find ourselves now where social distancing asks us to keep a two-metre gap.

SYMPATHY

“But the very presence of somebody there to offer a word of sympathy and support them, I think that’s so helpful.

“There were a number of people around there yesterday – friends of Colm’s from the local area and there were garda members and it was what was needed really.

“And although all the regulations were observed in that sense, with no more than three or four or five in the house at any one time, there were guards outside just chatting and just being there.”

Fr Johnston also paid tribute to Colm and spoke glowingly about the warmth and good nature of the experienced officer.

He told RTE Radio One’s Today with Sarah Mcinerney: “Colm was a lovely man, an absolute gentleman.

“He was very kind and very involved in the local community and particularly with the GAA – he played and he managed and he was involved with the training of underage groups as well.

“He just had a sort of a nice way about him; he was very caring and he always wore a smile.

“People are shocked and saddened deeply by this death of a wonderful man.”

Fr Johnston said no funeral arrangements have yet been made but it is expected to take place next week.