Funeral arrangements announced for Mayo man who died in hiking accident

The funeral arrangements have been announced for a Claremorris man who died in a hiking accident in Northern Ireland.

The body of George Brennan, of Killeen House, Claremorris, was found last weekend after extensive searches of the Fair Head area of Co Antrim.

George will be sadly missed by his heartbroken parents Tommy and Maura. His beloved brothers Gavin and Gareth. His aunts Joan and Irene, uncles Tony, Padraig, Tommie and Joe, cousins and relatives and his many friends.

George will repose at Gilligan’s Funeral Home, Market Square, Claremorris (F12YP74) on Wednesday evening, April 23, from 5pm until 7pm. His funeral cortege will arrive at St Colman’s Church for Mass at 12 noon Thursday, April 24, with burial afterwards in St Coleman’s Cemetery.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired to Community Rescue Northern Ireland: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/community-rescue-service-limited.

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The wider Claremorris area had been hoping for George's safe return but the news of his sad passing emerged in the south Mayo area over the weekend.

George was spotted in the Spar Shop in Ballycastle on April 2 where he purchased some items and was carrying a blue-coloured back-pack at the time. When family became concerned some days later after not hearing from him, contact was made with the PSNI who issued clear CCTV footage of him in the shop in Ballycastle. He was wearing a black zip up top, dark jeans and runners at the time.

Extensive search parties concentrated on the area between Ballycastle and Fair Head, much of which is inaccessible by car but used by hikers on a regular basis. Fair Head is the nearest point to the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland which is just twelve miles across the sea.

Only on Saturday, the PSNI made another specific appeal in relation to the location of a blue-coloured backpack which Mr Brennan was seen carrying in Ballycastle. It stated: “We would ask that anyone who believes they may have seen this backpack, or who has information as to its whereabouts, get in touch.”

Sadly, the Northern Ireland Search and Rescue, who put so much into the search for George since news broke that he was missing, most likely in that region of Antrim, discovered the body at the weekend. May he rest in peace.