Funeral of Mayo man hears call to 'look after’ and to 'talk to one another'

The Funeral of a 20-year-old Mayo man who died suddenly in his home on St Patrick's Day heard that people must talk to one another when they need to share something and to lean on each other for support.

The Church of the Sacred Heart in Belmullet was overflowing with mourners this afternoon for the Funeral Mass of Oisin Gruddy from Toorglass, Belmullet who died suddenly early on St Patrick's Day. The chief mourners were his parents Marty and Shirley and sister Treasa and brother Iollan.

The death of Oisin who was training to be a secondary school teacher in the University of Limerick was met with shock and sadness in the Belmullet community and the St Patrick's Day Parade was cancelled as a mark of respect.

Oisin was a former student in St Brendan's College in Belmullet and the school paid tribute to him during the week describing him as an outstanding student and a wonderful role model. Carne Golf Links in Belmullet also announced they were closing this afternoon as a mark of respect to the Gruddy family.

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His friend Michael Gibbons told the congregation at the Funeral Mass that Oisin was one of his dearest friends and was the most kind hearted and hard working person he ever met. He said that above anything else Oisin had love and urged people to show that love to care for one another.

“The love you have shown us all Oisin will remain with us forever. And with that love we must all now use it to care for one other and look after one another and lean on one each other. And know to talk to one another when we need to share.

“So Grud rest in peace. I, like so many others, love you and will miss you forever,” he said.

Michael described how Oisin loved to socialise and they would contact each other every Friday to see when they would be free to meet up after a week at college.

“He would tell me his stories for the week and I could safely say he was coming home with ten times the stories I ever came home with. We always enjoyed our weekly get togethers and a lot of the time had a lot of stories after them too.

“Myself and Oisin always spoke of upcoming events including his 21st birthday which he had all planned out in his head.

“We would talk about other events in the future too such as our weddings when one of us would be standing by the other one's side as best man. When we would both be teachers, and we might one day be teaching in the same school.”

Oisin's sister Treasa also told the congregation that her brother was incredibly bright who was in his element in the workshop and fixing things.

“Oisin was incredibly bright, especially when it came to anything practical. One of his favourite places in the world was the workshop, a space where he could build and figure things out. He spent hours in there completely in his element, usually alongside Dad and Uncle Mick.

“If he wasn't building something he was probably breaking just to fix it again. He loved every second of it. If you gave Oisin a job you knew it would be done to perfection,” she said.

Treasa said that Oisin's safe space was at home with his parents Marty and Shirley and that he would do anything for them or for her or her brother Iollan.

“As a brother he was a best friend before all else. A steady shoulder to lean on. No matter what was going on in his own life, if you called his name and said you needed him he would be there through the good and the bad. He always made time for us and always looked after us. He was a friend to all and never carried an ounce of bad intent in his heart,” she said.

The congregation heard that Oisin flourished when he went to Limerick to study engineering as it gave him the space to grow into himself and that he embraced it fully. A number of Oisin's friends and course directors from the University of Limerick travelled to Belmullet for the funeral and were welcomed by chief celebrant, Belmullet parish priest Fr Eddie Rogan.

Among the gifts brought to the altar were a set of keys to Oisin's car which was described as his 'baby' as well as an engineering excellence award which he received from St Brendan's College.

Fr Rogan said that Oisin was a man full of potential and his death had shaken the community to its foundations. He praised the support shown to Oisin's family and friends over the last few days and they should remember the happy times spent with Oisin.

“The tragic death of Oisin has saddened us all but we not without hope or without help. The way a person lives is more important than the way a person dies and we should not delve too much on the manner of a person's death but it is more important to give thanks for Oisin's life,” he said.

Following the Funeral Mass, burial took place in Glencastle New Cemetery.