'Magic in life’ - Brother's touching tribute to Mayo man who died in hiking accident

The funeral of a Mayo man who was found dead following an extensive search saw poignant scenes on Thursday afternoon (April 24) as family, friends, and all who knew him in life gathered to pay tribute.

The search for George Brennan was stood down on Sunday morning when his body was discovered in Antrim, where he was hiking in the area and had a fall.

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Following extensive searches, the Northern Ireland Search and Rescue located his body at Fair Head.

Crowds gathered at Saint Colman’s Church in George’s hometown of Claremorris on Thursday to pay their respects and join his family and friends in mourning the 38-year-old's tragic passing.

At the start of the Funeral Mass, a number of items were brought to the foot of the altar.

Firstly, a water polo hat and ball were brought up as symbols of his love for water, swimming, and sport.

George was a national underage champion in his youth, capturing titles as part of Claremorris swimming and water polo clubs under the tutelage of his late uncle, Brian.

Next, a CD was brought forward, representing George's love of music and romantic attitude to life.

His fascination with varied and outside-of-the-box music, in particular 80s synth pop and 90s indie rock, was touched upon in a eulogy from George’s brother, Gavin.

The final item brought up the centre of the church was a book, symbolising George's love for reading, poetry, and culture.

Fr Christopher Clarke, in his eulogy, spoke of how George’s parents, Tommy and Maura, brothers Gavin and Gareth, and his extended family and friends could take some consolation from the presence and support of others who gathered to pay their respects.

The funeral celebrant also took the chance to thank the rescue services who came together to find George’s body on the Antrim coast.

Those sentiments were echoed by George’s brother, Gareth, in his reflection at the end of the service.

Gareth started off his powerful tribute to his brother by extending his thanks to the Community Rescue Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI and Gardaí, the people of Ballycastle, and George’s friends and family.

Next, he moved to describe George as a dreamer and romantic, and touched on an idyllic Summer’s day a few years prior when the pair walked around Clare Island.

He fondly recalled the exclamation from George that they were the closest people in Europe to America, and that as the pair let that information sink in, George couldn’t rest before pointing out the people of Cork, Kerry, and Portugal might have something to say about that.

He went on to describe George as ‘a romantic in soul, magic in life’, and discussed his fascination with the history of his family and his hometown.

Next came the stories of what his brother was like at home, his propensity for wit, wordplay, and pushing the boundaries.

George had a passion for travel, and could be spotted anywhere around the island of Ireland, according to his brother

The highlight of the many tales that George left behind was the time he managed to get six penalty points in pursuit of a Balla spice bag: ‘three on the way down and three on the way back.’

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Gareth Brennan’s words on the altar in Claremorris were raw and palpable, and every word he spoke came from a deep love and appreciation for his brother.

“A person is made up of their parts in each of their relationships and what they mean to others,” he stated.

“By listening to his friends over the last few weeks and collecting each of these broken shards, we as a family have been able to piece together a full mosaic of the beautiful person George was.

“George taught me that life has beauty, meaning, exhilaration, limits to be tested, boundaries to be disregarded, moments of serenity to be taken in, experiences to be lived, even up until the very end.”

When discussing George’s tragic passing at Fair Head, Gareth spoke of the comfort that the family found in the fact that George passed away doing what he loved.

“We can take solace in the fact that George’s life ended overlooking the beauty of the Northern Irish coastline,” he said. “When we were able to find George, he was in a beautiful location with no rational reason to be there.

“He was on a road trip to Rathlin Island following nothing but a pull to a direct experience.

“Getting to Rathlin Island didn’t matter because George loved the dream of things, and rationality doesn’t matter, because George was a dreamer and a romantic.”

Lastly, George’s other brother, Gavin, stood on the altar and spoke of his sibling’s love of the West of Ireland despite his fascination with exploring every inch of his country.

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In his mind, the fact that close to 50 friends and family searched for George was a testament to how much these supports meant to him, and likewise how much he meant to them.

"He wouldn’t have wanted all the fuss and attention. Far from it. But he would have been fascinated with the links binding all those united behind one common cause together."

It was a constant for Gavin in life that no matter when he stepped outside his home in Killeen House and ventured in Claremorris, two options were inevitable.

Someone would more than likely mistake him for his brother. Failing that, there was only ever one question with the same answer each time

‘How’s George?’

‘Ara, sure George is still George.’

One thing is for certain. Even if a fraction of those who have submitted the oceans of tributes to George continue to support his closest friends and family in the challenging days, weeks, and months to come, they won't be alone.

Donations in memory of George, if desired, can be made here.