THE DEATH of a "noble gentleman and friend" has marked a "traumatic" week for the family of retired farmer Finbar Fahy and his community, parish priest Fr Richie Higgins said yesterday.
Speaking to hundreds of mourners at Mr Fahy's funeral in Labane, south Galway, Fr Higgins called for prayers for Mr Fahy's grandson, Gearóid.
Gearóid Fahy (22) is due to appear in court in Ennis, Co Clare, tomorrow, charged with his grandfather's murder. He was remanded in custody last Saturday, having appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court that evening.
Fr Higgins, who administered the last rites to Mr Fahy (78) at his home last week, also paid tribute to the local community of Labane and Ardrahan for rallying around to give the Fahy family the support they so needed.
In driving rain, relatives and friends gathered at St Teresa's Church, Labane, for the funeral Mass on the same day that a memorial Mass for Mr Fahy's late wife, Ciss (Celia), was due to be held. Mrs Fahy died 12 years ago of a heart attack at the age of 65, and rarely a day passed when her husband did not visit her grave.
The loss of a "noble gentleman" and "friend" had both shocked and saddened the community, Fr Higgins said. Events of the past week had been "traumatic" for the family and the wider south Galway community.
"Today is a sad day for our community and parish," Fr Higgins continued. "We will draw from our faith to support the family. We will draw from it the love and the forgiveness, the human concern to help Gearóid . . . He has expressed sorrow for what he has done. He has expressed sorrow for the hurt that he has caused."
Fr Higgins recalled his friendship with Mr Fahy, and described how he had received a letter this week from a Limerick man who had experienced one of the farmer's many acts of kindness.
The man had run out of petrol on the N18 road between Galway and Limerick some 15 years ago, and Mr Fahy had helped him "without any fuss". The man described how he had recognised the house from television reports last week.
In appeals for information gardaí had described a two-storey house on the N18 marked by a lighted statue of the Virgin Mary, dating from the time of the 1932 Eucharistic Congress.
This account reflected "the sort of generous man that Finbar was and who we will miss", Fr Higgins said. Offertory gifts at the service included a book reflecting Mr Fahy's keen interest in ornithology, and a phial of holy water. He had sprinkled some on visitors to his home, the congregation was told.
Concelebrants with Fr Higgins were Canon Joe Keogh, Fr Frank Larkin, Fr Martin Whelan and Fr Vincent Kavanagh. After the service, Mr Fahy was buried beside his wife, Ciss, in Labane Cemetery.
Mourners at the funeral were Mr Fahy's sons Gerard, Aidan and Noel and their families. Mr Fahy is also survived by two brothers Finian and Cuimin, sister Sr Ide, daughters-in-law Mary and Bridget, grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
