Hundreds mourn Garvaghey crash victims

A PRIEST at the funeral for one of the three young men killed as a result of a collision on the A5 at Garvaghey on Monday morning has said the tragedy has left people shocked and bewildered.

Speaking this afternoon during the funeral for Petey McNamee at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Beragh, Monsignor Colum Curry recalled his feelings as he attended the scene of the tragedy.

Earlier today, prayers were also offered for the emergency services at the funeral of Peter Finnegan in St Patrick’s Church, Clogher as hundreds of people paid a poignant, silent tribute at both funerals.

In Beragh Monsignor Curry said, “As I stood there outside Garvaghey chapel in the aftermath of the terrible accident, the words of the Hail Holy Queen flashed through my mind. I recalled the phrase ‘to you do we cry mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.’ Then I thought of the families of the young men, all of whom had not yet been identified. I realised that their families would soon be facing into that dark and difficult valley, mourning and weeping,” he said.

“For almost a week now, the parents, families and friends of Petey McNamee, Peter Finnegan and Nathan Corrigan, along with the family of Michael Moore, have all endured bitter anguish. We think of the lorry driver and those who were first on the scene. This terrible tragedy has cast a dark cloud over much of Tyrone and far beyond and it has left people shocked and bewildered.”

Among the congregations at the funerals this afternoon were friends of both young men, and also those of the third victim, Nathan Corrigan from Garvaghey, whose funeral takes place at St Matthew’s Church tomorrow afternoon.

In his homily at the funeral of 21 year-old Peter Finnegan, Parish Priest of Clogher, Canon Noel McGahan, spoke of how the young man’s mother, Catherine, had remarked to him about how happy their Christmas 2021 had been.

“Catherine said to me that Christmas 2021 was so special,” Canon McGahan said. “She said they had a wonderful Christmas with the family all home and they were all so happy… and then things changed so quickly on hearing the news of the accident.

“The death of a young person is overwhelming in its affect. It raises unanswerable questions and challenges the very meaning and purpose of life. Above all, it tests our faith.

“Peter’s death and those of his friends Nathan Corrigan and Petey McNamee shocked and stunned the whole country. The communities of Garvaghey, Beragh and Clogher have had a dark cloud over them during the past week. But the greatest shock is for their families, friends and colleagues.”

Canon McGahan said the death of a child was the greatest nightmare for any parent, and that Peter’s death was heartbreaking for his whole family.