Priest speaks of ‘enormous grief’ at funeral of Eoin, 16
MOURNERS at the funeral Mass for 16-year-old Eoin Mulkeen, from Achonry, who died in what was described as a freak accident at the weekend, were told by local parish priest Fr Peter Gallagher that “our grief is enormous”.
Eoin, who had just got his school holidays on Friday last, having completed his Transition Year at St Attracta’s Community School in Tubbercurry, was fatally injured in a fall on Saturday afternoon.
At the funeral mass on Tuesday afternoon in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Mullinabreena, Fr Gallagher said: “We are shocked as individuals and we are visibly shaken as a community, as are his Transition Year classmates, his friends and his sporting comrades from the many sporting activities he was involved in.
“The death of a young person in any circumstances is an occasion of great sorrow but a death that is the result of a freak accident simply beggars our understanding, we’re numbed by the suddeness and horror of it all.
“We can’t understand it, we have so many questions and we have no answers.
“We don’t want to believe that the Eoin Mulkeen that we have known so well is now gone to his enternal reward.”
Fr Gallagher said that Eoin was “so young and so full of life”.
“His life was just beginning, he was coming into the prime of his life and was a fit and healty young man. He had so much to do and so much to give to others. No wonder that the family and the whole community are in a state of shock and are devastated at this time. Our grief is enormous,” he said. He said he knew him fairly well. I’ve seen him grow up from a baby to a young man.
“I’ve seen him go from playschool to graduating from Achonry national school to see him complete his TY year last Friday.
Fr Gallagher outlined how Eoin was an accomplished swimmer, winning many prizes in the pool as well as being a talented rugby player with Sligo RFC and Gaelic footballer with the local Coolaney-Mullinabreena U-17 team.
He pointed out that the GAA U-17 team and their parents gathered at Nace O’Dowd Park on Sunday evening as a mark of respect to pray for Eoin and all his family.
Likewise his TY class and the staff and board of management of St Attracta’s Community School gathered in the school on Sunday morning to pray for Eoin.
Fr Gallagher also said that on Friday the TY class had got their holidays and finished up with a class quiz.
“Eoin swept throught the answers to win the quiz. He was a very bright and able student and really high achiever, described to me as a genius.”
The number five Coolaney-Mullinabreena jersey and a Sligo rugby jersey signed by all the those he had played with were draped on Eoin’s coffin. There were tributes to Eoin this week from both clubs.
The GAA club said that “club and community are rocked to the core this weekend”.
“A profound sadness is prevalent in our area and well beyond, leaving us all in a state of total numbness and struggling to comprehend the scale of this as we remain incredulous on hearing the news.
“In his short, but fulfilled years, Eoin epitomized the definition of the word dedication. On a sporting front, his commitment to the cause of Coolaney-Mullinabreena GAA over the years was nothing short of exceptional. We can all recall with fondness his superb goal at Nace O’Dowd Park in 2020 for his U-16 team that went on to claim a championship title.
“His diligence and attitude were unparalleled and he trained as recently as Friday evening with his usual earnestness and always with a smile.
“His love for all sports was shared with his beloved and hugely devoted Dad, Shane, as they travelled to enjoy many a big occasion together.”
In its tribute, Sligo RFC said Eoin “never sought the limelight, but behind his quiet demeanour lay a steely resolve to improve both himself and the team”.
“While he wasn’t the biggest player on the pitch, Eoin more than made up for this in courage, determination and intelligence. Not many got past him in tackling drills and if they did once, they didn’t the next time.”
The tribute recalled that just recently, in one of his final training sessions, Eoin side stepped not one, but two senior players who were helping with the session, and got through to score a try.
“He repeated the trick a few minutes later and while his team mates whooped and cheered, Eoin just wanted to get on with the game. That was Eoin, humble, brave and hardworking, the ultimate rugby player.” The tribute stated that all the members of Sligo RFC “are broken hearted to lose Eoin, our friend and teammate, so prematurely”.
“We were privileged to meet and get to know Eoin and we have also been fortunate to know his family, who were also an integral part of this U-17 group through the years.
“Eoin impressed us all deeply during his time in our club and it is clear that the love and support he received from his family was central to the wonderful character he had become.” Eoin is survived by his parents Ann Marie and Shane and his sister Kate, also by his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives. Burial was in Achonry Cemetery.