Johnny McLaughlin was ‘a cornerstone of the Omagh community’

THE funeral cortege of the late Johnny McLaughlin paused briefly outside the George’s Street Advice Centre that he managed for many years, before continuing on to his interment at Greenhill Cemetery following Requiem Mass in the Sacred Heart Church, Omagh.

Several hundred people turned out to pay their respects to the former boxer, trade unionist and Omagh District Councillor, whose passing at the age of 79 – just weeks shy of his 80th birthday – has prompted widespread sadness across the community.

Celebrant Fr Christopher McDermott said the ‘multitude of mourners’ was a clear reflection of the esteem in which Mr McLaughlin was held.

“We are here to honour a true gentleman and local celebrity – a cornerstone of the Omagh community,” he said. “Johnny lived a life of great beauty. His word, written or spoken, held weight, and he held many positions of influence.”

Fr McDermott highlighted Mr McLaughlin’s deep-rooted commitment to social justice, beginning with his role as a shop steward and trade union representative at the former Nestlé factory. He also noted his achievements in the boxing ring, where Johnny was a three-time Ulster Champion.

“Johnny probably didn’t have to say much to make his views known,” Fr McDermott added.

For nearly 30 years, Mr McLaughlin served as an elected representative on Omagh District Council, consistently advocating for those on the margins of society.

He also worked tirelessly to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

More recently, he was a constant source of guidance to hundreds of local people through his work at the George’s Street Advice Centre, which has now closed temporarily in tribute, its windows draped in black ribbons.

As the cortege left the church, members of the Bishop Kelly branch of the Irish National Foresters formed a guard of honour. Local businesses on George’s Street closed their doors as a mark of respect.

Among those in attendance were Fermanagh and Omagh District Council chief executive Alison McCullagh, council chair Barry McElduff, and local political figures including Allan Rainey, Sean Clarke and Bert Wilson.

“Believe it or not, Johnny only stepped away from his advice work one month ago,” said Fr McDermott. “He was the embodiment of Christian social teaching… the rights of the worker and economic justice for all.”

In 2015, Johnny McLaughlin was awarded a MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. This was recognition, Fr McDermott said, of what the people of Omagh had long known: “Johnny was always there for everyone, always working in the service of his community.”

Johnny McLaughlin, who passed away at his home on the Carnalea Road in Fintona, is survived by his wife Olive, children Steven, Amanda, Michelle, Geraldine, Yvonne and John, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.