“Austin Currie never stopped thinking about those who didn’t make it”

MOURNERS at the funeral of the civil rights leader and SDLP founder member, Austin Currie, were told how his 30 year-old self could never have believed he would have reached the age of 82.

In an emotional and heartfelt oration at the funeral Mass, his daughter, Estelle, paid tribute to her father for his role in so many seminal events during a critical period in Irish history.

A tricolour was draped over the coffin of civil rights leader and SDLP founder, Austin Currie, as his remains were taken to St Malachy’s Church in Edendork for his funeral Mass. It was presented to his widow, Annita, for the family.

In her oration, his daughter, Estelle, said her father never forgot those ‘those who didn’t make it’ including Columba McVeigh, one of the disappeared. His mother was a regular visitor to the Currie home when they lived at Tullydraw, Donaghmore.

“Columba McVeigh was killed by the IRA in 1975 and is still lying somewhere, far away from home,” she said.

“His mum Vera used to walk from Donaghmore to our home at Tullydraw. She’d come with little paper bags of sweets, the kettle would go on and we knew that it wouldn’t be long before the tears would start and we’d quietly slip away, leaving our mum to try and console when there could be no consolation.

“At every occasion he could, Daddy would call on the people who took Columba to do the decent thing, the Christian thing of allowing him home to be buried with his family. We remember Columba, we remember Vera, we remember the McVeigh family and all those who still suffer. The Disappearefd, still one of the cruellest and most shameful atrocities of the Troubles and still something which can be put right.”

The Edendork GAA flag was draped over the remains as they were carried from the church to the adjoining cemetery, where Mr Currie was laid to rest beside his parents.

Mr Currie, who was 82, died on Tuesday. He was brought home to Tyrone where he was laid to rest alongside his parents in the adjoining cemetery.

The chief celebrant at the Mass was Dean Kevin Donaghy, Parish Priest of Dungannon and con=celebrated by Fr Kevin Mullin, Parish Priest of Drumquin and a relative of the Currie and Lynch families. Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland, Eamon Martin, was also in attendance and led by the prayers at the graveside.

Among the dignatories in attendance was the former SDLP leader, Alaistair McDonnell, former MP, Dr Joe Hendron, South Belfast MP, Claire Hanna, Mid-Ulster MP, Francie Molloy and the former Fermanagh South Tyrone MP, Ken Maginnis and Tyrone GAA manager, Feargal Logan..

Members of Edendork St Malachy’s flanked the cortege as it made its way to the local church led by a lone piper, stopping briefly outside St Malachy’s Primary School which was attended by Mr Currie.

The funeral took place a day after a funeral Mass was held in Co Kildare and attended by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins and senior government ministers including Fine Gael leader and Tanaiste, Leo Varadkar, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood and a representative of An Taoiseach, Michael Martin.