A music lover. Liverpool mad. A brother. A father. A husband. A son. Loyal. Funny. Short-legged. Intelligent. A family man. Hard-working. Compassionate. A card-player. A townie. St Eunans mad. A best friend.
So many words were used to describe the late Dessie Larkin today as hundreds of people turned up to say a final farewell in his native Letterkenny to such a decent human being.
St Eunan’s Cathedral was bursting to the seams with people who wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Larkin and McCool families in their time of immense grief.
Dessie Larkin, aged just 48, wasn’t just liked in his hometown, he was held in a special place amongst the many, many people whose lives he touched.
That love was borne out not just by the huge crowd present for his funeral mass today but by the genuine compassion and empathy shown by every last man, woman and child.
Dessie crammed so much into his life before that life was cut abruptly short on Monday morning last when he passed away unexpectedly at his home close to Newmills on the outskirts of Letterkenny.
News of Dessie’s passing wept through the town with a genuine sense of disbelief.
From the foot of the town, Dessie’s father James had cut a political path which Dessie followed with gusto and pride before he left politics, furthering his education and returning to work for Donegal County Council.
It was fitting that it was Fr Paddy Dunne who conducted Dessie’s funeral mass which was concelebrated by several other priests as well as the Bishop of Raphoe, Most Reverand Alan McGuckian.
Fr Dunne spoke of the friend he knew for years and the many times they shared together.
He spoke of Dessie’s love of music and football, both gaelic and soccer but especially of his love of Liverpool FC and how he genuinely thought this year was going to be their year.
He spoke of his punk days and how he loved nothing more than a good game of cards and how he was always, always talking.
But behind the devilment, he spoke to of his immense pride at being Irish but also of being from Letterkenny and Donegal and how he took that everywhere with him.
Among the gifts taken to the altar where a Liverpool scarf, a deck of playing cards, a St Eunan’s jersey and A Beautiful South album which wife Mary had bought him many years ago.
As his life and times were recalled, Dessie’s wife Mary and the couple’s children Danielle, Courtney, James and Matthew showed the same courage that has held them steadfast in recent days.
Hundreds of people have visited Dessie’s wake over the past couple of days to say a final farewell at the house himself and Mary made a home for themselves and their four beautiful children.
Mary’s composure to speak with each and every one of those people who called to pay their respects was yet another tribute to the person she shared her life with.
Jason Black, Dessie’s brother-in-law concluded today’s funeral mass with a touching reflection to his fellow town whose life paths crossed by chance but who became the best of friends.
After his funeral mass Dessie was given a Garda escort down the town he loved so much and which he was so much part of.
Shops closed and people gathered at the foot of the town with heads bowed as the funeral cortege pressed onwards towards O’Donnell Park and beyond to Dessie’s final resting place at Conwal Graveyard.
Rest easy Dessie.
Tags: