GARDA TERRY Dever, who died in last weekend’s road crash in north Mayo, was described yesterday as a “peacemaker and peacekeeper” at his funeral Mass on his native Achill Island.
The late garda and father of three was also an “extraordinarily gifted community builder”, Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary said at the service in Achill Sound.
In Inver, in the north of the county, the life of 19-year-old Stephen Conway was also recalled at his funeral Mass. Both Garda Dever (48) and Stephen Conway died in a collision outside Belmullet early last Sunday.
Hundreds of people, including a large Garda representation, joined Garda Dever’s wife Margaret, children Liam, Alice and Turlough, and extended family at his funeral. Fr Michael Gormley, parish priest at Achill Sound, recalled a family man who “loved, cherished and nurtured his three children”.
Garda Dever had also been very involved in sport and in the development of the Irish language, and was a member of the “A Team” at Belmullet Garda station where he worked, Fr Gormley said.
He had served as a garda in Dublin, Kilmaine, Castlebar and Belmullet, and took a “commonsense” approach to his duties, he noted. A “father, husband, brother, colleague and friend” was also a “gentleman”, Fr Gormley continued. He was a “peacemaker and peacekeeper”.
Dr Neary called for prayers for all those involved in last Sunday’s collision, including the family of the late Stephen Conway, Garda Eneas McNulty, who was seriously injured, and Garda Adrian McNulty. Garda Eneas McNulty attended the funeral in a wheelchair with medical support.
To sustained applause from the congregation, Dr Neary said that the late garda “represented the enormous contribution which gardaí made to communities throughout the length and breadth of the country”.
Offertory gifts included Garda Dever’s mobile phone, which had the theme music for the television series The A Team as his chosen ring tone, a family photograph and a certificate in Irish for his studies in the language last year.
An Garda Síochána was represented by Commissioner Fachtna Murphy, along with Assistant Commissioner Willie Keane, head of the western division, and Chief Supt Tony McNamara, head of the Mayo division.
Pupils of Scoil Damhnait secondary school, where Liam and Alice are pupils, attended.
In north Mayo, the brief but fruitful life of Stephen Conway was recalled by Fr Edward Rogan, parish priest of Inver. “He was just lovely, such a friendly young fellow, a dote”, Fr Rogan said at the funeral Mass in the Church of St Patrick.
Stephen’s parents, Val and Kathleen, his sister Rita, brother Kevin, and his grandmother, Mary Meenaghan, were the main mourners.