Young Buncrana man Jimmy McKenna, who lost his life in a fatal collision in Moville last weekend, has been remembered for his generous, joyful and fragile soul.
The 25-year-old suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a car while walking home after a night out in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Jimmy’s heartbroken family and friends gathered at St Mary’s Church in Buncrana this morning to honour his short life, but a life of lasting impact.
Jimmy was known for his joy, generosity, and a deep well of kindness. A car lover, he worked in a creche and was adored by the children he collected in his ‘souped up’ Volkswagen Golf.
“The children will miss his company, his joy and his fun. In many ways, he never outgrew his childhood,” said Buncrana Parish Priest Father Francis Bradley.
Mourners heard that Jimmy “was the life and soul of the party” but also carried with him a fragility and unseen struggles stemming from another road tragedy.
Seven years ago Jimmy was a survivor of a fatal crash near Quigley’s Point in which his two best friends were killed.
“Despite appearances to the contrary, life wasn’t all plain sailing,” Fr Bradley said.
“The events of the 29th of April 2017 loomed very large for him. The tragic deaths of his good friends Nathan Farrell and Nathan Gill never really left him and the injuries and trauma he endured that day and each day since were never too far away.
“There was now an added tender spot there, a vulnerability, which had consequences good and bad. It made him all the more the focus of his family and those who cared about him.”
Also impacted by the death of his godmother Imelda Doherty four years, Fr Bradley said that Jimmy was starting to put his life together again.
A happy-go-lucky lad who was deeply loved, his generous acts extended to his offering of lifts to anyone in need, regardless of the time or destination.
Another tragic death on the roads reopens wounds in the community, Fr Bradley acknowledged. His homily offered a message of comfort, reminding those gathered that Jimmy wasn’t alone in his final moments.
“Firstly, he had his friend Ben Doherty with him, Jesus Christ was there with him too and so too providentially, others too would instinctively rush to his aid whatever the outcome, Jimmy would not be alone,” Fr Bradley said.
The funeral Mass was followed by burial afterwards in Cockhill cemetery.
Jimmy is mourned by his parents, Michelle and James, his brother John Paul, his sisters Catherine and Caroline, brothers in-law Kevin and Seamus his granny Margret Reidy, his nieces Kate and Erin and extended family and friends.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses following the fatal collision at Ballynally Moville, County Donegal, on Sunday, 9th June 2024. Gardaí are urging anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.
