One of the most inspirational and moving experiences of my life was Gerry O'Donoghue's funeral Mass in St Anne's Church, Portmarnock a few weeks ago. When his photograph was placed on the altar, having been presented as a gift offering by his eldest son Stephen, Gerry's ever smiling face - in death as in life - looked down into the sad eyes of the hundreds of mourners who came to say farewell.
I first met Gerry in the late 1960s when he was studying for the priesthood at the SMA College in Dromontine in Co Down, and I well recall his ordination reception in 1970, and his subsequent departure for the mission fields of West Africa. He loved and was totally dedicated to his missionary work and he quickly established a wide network of close friends among the Liberian people, both lay and clerical.
While his more recent business interests in Ireland have been centred around the media, few are aware that his earlier life was also in this field - radio and television - since after some time his exceptional organisational and motivational abilities saw him appointed to the new radio station established by the church in the Liberian capital, Monrovia. This appointment also necessitated a considerable amount of travelling across many continents on a regular basis, and on one such trip he met the beautiful and talented Tamara Van Weiden, who was then an air hostess with KLM. Having received the necessary permission to leave the priesthood, Gerry and Tamara were married in 1978, and until his recent very sad and untimely death, they shared a wonderful life together.
During his too short life, Gerry achieved much. With his business partner, Jimmy Cashen, they founded and firmly established PML - their poster management company, and over the past 14 years neither has spared himself. When he became ill last autumn, Gerry felt that he could take some time away from his business interest to recover, but this was not to be.
Among the many tributes paid to Gerry, his infectious laugh, his self deprecating humour, and his ability to always see the brighter side of things, were most frequently commented upon. There is no doubt that his way of seeing the best in every situation came from a genuinely deep and committed belief in a good and caring God, and while he certainly did not want to die because he truly loved the life he had, he was nevertheless confident that, if death should come, a better life awaited him.
From his earliest days, sport was always close to his heart, and although hurling was his great love, he was also part of Jack's army on many foreign trips. Much of his spare time was spent organising and coaching the young boys of Portmarnock and Malahide, who turned out in such numbers to form a guard of honour when his funeral arrived at the church. In later years, he developed a love for skiing, and he made competent and enthusiastic skiers of his three sons, although his own skill lagged some distance behind his enthusiasm.
His faith, his humour and his determination to win over his illness are the abiding memories of the past three months. When I felt his still warm hands late on Saturday, January 6th, there still remained the faintest trace of a smile on his pallid face. I can pay him no greater tribute than to repeat what I then said: "He has always taught us how to live. Now he has taught us how to die."
The deepest sympathy of all who have had the privilege to know him go to his beloved Tamara, and their sons Stephen, Ciaran and Shane; to his parents Jim and Maura; to Eilis, Aine, Dermot and Shay; to the entire extended family and of course to his business partner, Jimmy.
Suaimhneas siorai d'a anam dilis - ni bheidh a leitheid ann aris.