GAA prodigy and student is fondly remembered as a ‘superb athlete’ and a ‘quality human being’
AS a biting wind cut hard into their faces, squads of very young and many older friends, neighbours, school and sporting colleagues took their turn on the narrow road corralled by neatly-built stone ditches to carry the mortal remains of Red Óg Murphy to St Patrick’s Church in Moylough for his funeral Mass – his Mass of the Resurrection – on Friday last.
Fittingly, his coffin was draped in the colours of his beloved Curry GAA club, green and white.
Later Red Óg would be brought for one final time to his field of dreams at Curry GAA Club, a familiar place to him, where he kicked points for fun, where he trained in sleet, snow, sunshine and showers, honing his rightly vaunted skills as a very special Gaelic football talent.
As Red Óg’s remains arrived outside St Patrick’s Church, the nearby Moylough Heritage Centre was already overflowing. The church itself, where Red Óg and his family attended Sunday Mass, had seats reserved for his family, relatives, neighbours and many, many close friends, but was otherwise full.
At one stage during the Facebook Live broadcast of his funeral close to 3,500 were watching from near and far, among them family members of Red Óg who were abroad, in India, Australia and New York.
It seemed as if the world had stood still, at times the dignified silence was deafening, tears burned into cheeks of the many who came to mourn a man who the parish priest of Curry and Moylough, Fr Leo Henry, described as “a presence that brightened your day, a presence that put a smile on your face, a presence that would put a pep in your step”.
“What Red Óg achieved in 21 years may well take others four score years and 10 to achieve,” he said.
Among those in attendance at the Mass was Brid Horan, Chancellor St Patrick’s Campus at DCU, where Red Óg was studying to become a primary school teacher.
Footballers, friends from school, college, county and province were dotted among the huge crowds gathered outside, but they were outnumbered by men, women, boys and girls, who knew him, loved him, idolised him, people who came to say slán to a very special young man.
You didn’t have to be a top footballer to be a friend of Red Óg’s.
Fr Leo Henry was the chief celebrant. He was joined on the altar by six brother priests who concelebrated the Mass, Fr Paul Hanson, chaplain at DCU, Fr Seamus Colleary, St Attracta’s, Fr Gerry Davey, administrator, Carracastle, Fr Michael Quinn, PP Kiltimage, Fr James McDonagh, PP Ballymote and Fr Dan O’Mahoney, priest of the diocese of Achonry. Fr Henry spoke of how the experience of death is always disturbing, but the death of a charismatic young man, a third level student, an outstanding and gifted young athlete and Gaelic footballer is overwhelming in its effects.
“It raises unanswered questions, it challenges the very meaning and the very purpose of life and it does tax our faith,” he said.
The funeral Mass was punctuated by moments of huge poignancy, beautiful music and some truly superb words from Fr Henry and Colm McGee. Symbols of Red Óg’s passions and interests were eloquently explained by Fr Henry as the offertory gifts were brought forward.
Football boots and a football were symbols of Red Óg’s love of sport and
Gaelic Football, in particular. There was a crucifix made by Red Óg in secondary school and a family photo, a symbol of the Murphy family, united always and forever.
A textbook was a symbol of Red Óg’s chosen career as a primary school teacher. A pair of fancy socks reflected his sense of style and also presented was his very special All Star Sigerson award. Fr Henry, remembering the remarkable talents of Red Óg, in his homily reached out to all those who might be struggling with their mental health, to those going through difficult times. “To our young people and there are so many inside and outside our church this afternoon, I say to you are our precious future, you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of our lives.
“I ask you one favour, please make a pledge to your best friend that if you are feeling unwell you will tell them, you will tell one person, your best friend and they will do the rest, act immediately to get you the help you need.
“I invite you to make that pledge today.”
Fr Henry said Red Óg was “otherworldly, from a very closely knit family, a family united in love and respect to one another and then to God.
“He had charisma in abundance, that towering physical presence, he had warmth and close eye contact. “He was courteous and respectful and had that special gift of having time for everyone.”
Fr Henry said Red Óg’s untimely passing has stunned and shocked all of us and so many others across our county, our country and the world.
“It has left a deep void in the lives of his loving family and extended family. “There are no easy answers, no cheap consolation in the face of death, no satisfactory sound bite to soften the pain of loss and pious platitudes can ring a bit hollow on occasions like this. “Up to Friday, April 1, Red Óg rejoiced in life and looked confidently to the years ahead and he dreamed of the things that might be and now he is asleep with God.
“There is only one prayer and one question in the minds of his loved ones: Could we not have him back, could the events of last Friday be blocked out, could we awake from this nightmare?
“All we can offer to the Murphy family now is a sense of shared loss and anything else we can do or say is sadly inadequate.”
He added: “Life is very precious but when it is taken away it reminds us of how precious are our loved ones, our family and our friends and we cherish them dearly.
“Some unexplained darkness descended on Red Óg last Thursday night.”
Fr Henry said Red Óg’s people would be experiencing the emotions of sorrow, pain, and guilt.
“That is a huge cocktail of mixed emotions, it is uncharted territory and I ask of you all, please, please do not let this happen again. This heartbreak and grief cannot be revisited.
“Please talk, share your feelings, express your anger, vent your rage, and bring it out into the open.”
He said there were times when there was a need for help, for “professional help” pointing out there were people waiting for “your call and to provide
you with support”.
He said it was important to yet again state that “it is ok, not to be ok, to talk and to ask for help.” “There are agencies out there waiting for your call, waiting to provide you with the help and support you might need.”
Fr Henry said it was important that they not let Red Óg’s last act define his whole life. “Red Óg was a quality human being. Red Óg was one of those special people you are privileged to meet in life. “He was a role model for so many. He was uniquely respected and looked up to by everyone. “He was loved by so many people across the world. One has only to read the condolences on RIP.ie to appreciate that fact.
“A superb athlete and gifted Gaelic footballer, from an early age he channelled his energy into honing the skills of the art of Gaelic football, accuracy in his passing and point scoring. He starred with every team he lined out with, from Moylough National School to Curry underage teams, to all the teams he played with in St Attracta’s Community School, to Sligo minor, U-20 and senior Gaelic football teams, to representing DCU at all levels and being selected on this year’s All Star Sigerson Cup team.”
The priest recalled how Red Óg scored 3-10 for St Attracta’s in a schools game against St Jarlath’s of Tuam and scored 11 of his team’s 15 points in an All-Ireland Minor Football Championship quarter-final in 2017.
He said he had many personal memories of Red Óg, one stood out which he recalled.
Stating that he was a man of deep faith, Fr Henry told the congregation how in 2017 he had asked Red Óg to read the Passion of our Lord on Good Friday.
He agreed but a spanner would later be thrown into the works when Red Óg was called to county minor training. However, he kept his word and told the minor manager he would be leaving at 1pm to go home to read the Passion at his home church in Moylough, adding that if that was to cost him in terms of his place on the county minor squad, so be it.
“And sure enough, well before the time on Good Friday he arrived, stylish as ever, with his hair smartly groomed and he narrated the Passion with his customary aplomb,” Fr Henry stated.
Referencing the liturgical time of year as Good Friday and Easter Sunday approach, he said: “We hope that Red Óg’s Good Friday has given way to Easter Sunday morning glory and that God will reward Red Óg for all the love, happiness, entertainment that he brought to his young life.”