Funeral of Ciaran Briody hears of young man with zest for life who made wonderful memories

Ciarán Briody, the 23-year-old who died after he was in a collision with a bus outside Busáras in Dublin city on August 31st, was a young man with a zest for life, an ambitious graduate accountant, interested in sport and his friends, with his life ahead of him, his funeral mass has been told.

Welcoming the extended Briody family to the Holy Trinity Church, Ratoath, Co Meath, Fr Yohanna Jacob told the congregation “there are intolerable occasions that make us cry and ask God why”.

He said the emotions experienced by Ciarán’s family as they tried to comprehend their sudden loss, were “shock, terrible anxiety and sadness”. He said over and above the grief would be the eternal argument “why did it have to happen this way, why did it have to happen at this time of Ciarán’s life”.

He said the pain being experienced was similar to Christ’s passion on the cross and the most valuable and lasting thing the congregation could now do for Ciarán was to pray for him.

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Among the symbols of Ciarán‘s life brought to the alter were a family photo and a photo album featuring pictures of joyous occasions and holidays with friends Sean, Jack, Liam, Conor, Caoimhe, Cara, Jessica and Sarah. Also included were a baseball hat and shirt to represent Ciaran’s love of fashion and his taxation book which he used in his work at accountants KPMG, work of which Fr Yohanna said Ciarán had been very proud.

Fr Yohanna then sang the Louis Armstrong song, When the Saints Go Marching In. Chorister Clionadh Regan welcomed mourners to the ceremony with a rendition of the John Michael Talbot’s Be Not Afraid among.

The principal mourners at the funeral mass were Mr Briody’s parents Annmarie and Padraig, his brother Patrick and grandmother Eileen.

Patrick Briody told the funeral his younger brother had created many wonderful memories and “we hope these memories live on forever”. He said “in our small family Ciarán was so loved by my mam and dad and me. I was so proud to have the honour of calling him my brother”.

As the coffin was carried from the church for burial in Derrockstown Cemetery Ms Regan sang the Christian hymm I Watch The Sunrise Lighting The Sky.