‘NOT ENOUGH COLOURS IN THE RAINBOW TO PAINT BRENDAN’
THE funeral of a teacher killed after he was hit by a vehicle while walking on the M7 has heard “there aren’t enough colours of the rainbow to paint a complete picture of him”.
Brendan Fitzpatrick (24), of Powerwood, Thomastown in Kilkenny, who was described as a “role model and kind, caring, conscientious young man” died after he was struck by “one or more” vehicles in Naas early last Saturday.
It’s understood Brendan, a Graphics and Engineering teacher at St Kevin’s Community College in Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, had been walking home.
His funeral
Mass yesterday in the Church of the Assumption, Thomastown where the chief mourners included his heartbroken parents Eamonn and Fiona, sister Eimear and grandmother Kathleen, family, friends, work colleagues and students.
Fr Dan Bollard said his tragic death is “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
“Every Sunday morning when you turn on the radio there is probably another tragedy each week,” he said.
“And it’s only when it comes close to home that we are affected. But nevertheless it is a parent’s worst nightmare.”
Grennan College principal Sean Og O’Sullivan told mourners: “There are not enough colours in the rainbow to paint a complete picture of Brendan. But it is agreed, Brendan was a role model for us all.”
A FORMER treasurer of Crossmaglen Rangers GAA club has pleaded guilty to a litany of sex crimes against young boys dating back over three decades.
Ex-postman Thomas McKenna (62), formerly of Woodside Park, Bessbrook, Co Armagh, was due to go on trial next week on the first of three sets of charges he faced.
But at Belfast Crown Court yesterday, defence counsel Kevin Magill asked for McKenna to be rearraigned on three separate charge sheets which totalled 148 sexual offences and related to over 20 victims.
McKenna, who was produced to the court from Maghaberry Prison, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences which included multiple counts of indecent assaults, sexual assaults and gross indecency offences on young males on dates between 1989 and 2018.
A number of charges, including buggery and attempted rape were “left on the court books and not to be proceeded with without the leave of the Crown Court or the Court of Appeal’’.
In June 2021, McKenna pleaded guilty to 18 counts of voyeurism, four indecent assaults and one count of taking an indecent image of a child.
The former postman was placed on the sex offenders’ register as a
“I am aware that some of those affected may be on the (video) link.
“To those affected may I say this: I praise your courage in coming forward to disclose these terrible crimes in very, very difficult circumstances.
Vindicated
“Today each of you is completely vindicated in the complaints that you made against this man.
“I hope that that vindication will bring some peace of mind to those of you who continue to suffer grievously.
“And may I also say this: by coming forward and being determined to see this process through to its conclusion, you have brought about this situation where this man has admitted his guilt.
“Each of you have done a great public service in coming forward and I want to thank you for that,’’ added Judge Smyth.
Prosecution counsel
Charles