Kilmaine and Ballinrobe united in grief

SUDDEN PASSING?South Mayo is mourning the death of SeΡn Biggins.

Kilmaine and Ballinrobe united in grief


Ciara Galvin

THE communities of Ballinrobe and Kilmaine are united in grief as young Kilmaine man SeΡn Biggins is laid to rest today (Tuesday).
The 22 year old passed away on Thursday last after suddenly taking ill the previous week.  SeΡn is beloved son of Ballinrobe publican John Biggins and wife Rita, and the youngest brother of Sinéad and Fintan.
He had travelled to Chicago at the beginning of June with two friends on a student J1 visa, after completing college exams. He passed away following the sudden onset of a virus.
The Biggins family are a well known and respected family in Ballinrobe and the south Mayo area. John runs Biggins’ Bar on Bowgate Street, while his father, the late SeΡn Biggins Snr, is well known throughout the county for the bus company he founded and which his son, Kieran, now runs.
Neighbour and family friend, Kevin McDonnell, said the entire community was in ‘deep shock’ and that there was a ‘real, palpable sense of loss’ following SeΡn’s passing.
“SeΡn played underage football with Kilmaine GAA Club and won a county under-15 title with the club. He was a quiet, unassuming lad and an extremely pleasant young man to have a chat with. It’s testimony to his character that a large number of his friends came out on Sunday and gave him a guard of honour on his return home,” said Mr McDonnell.
The Biggins family received a huge level of support from the Irish community in Chicago and indeed from all over the US. Over 300 Irish people attended a service on Friday last in Chicago, with people travelling from New York and Florida to attend the Mass.
“The Irish community and the Mayo community in America were fantastic and indeed Aer Lingus couldn’t have been any better. They looked after the family tremendously well. There is a profound and deep sense of loss and sadness in the club and community at the passing of SeΡn. It is another terrible tragedy for the parish,” he concluded. SeΡn’s classmate, Jonathan Munroe, died tragically in June 2011.
SeΡn is deeply mourned by his parents, sister and brother; grandparents, Mary and Christy Hughes (Kilmaine), and Carmel and the late SeΡn Biggins (Ballinrobe); aunts, uncles, cousins and a very large circle of friends.
His remains reposed at the family home in Kilmaine yesterday evening, where large crowds attended to pay their respects. Removal will take place this morning (Tuesday) to St Patrick’s Church, Kilmaine, for Requiem Mass at 12 noon, with burial in Kilmaine New Cemetery.