THE FUNERAL of Captain Mark Duffy, who died when Irish Coast Guard helicopter R116 crashed off the coast of Mayo on March 14, has taken place in Dublin.
Capt Duffy’s colleagues carried his coffin into the service at Saint Oliver Plunkett Church, Blackrock, Co. Louth on Thursday, followed by his wife Hermione, daughter Esmé, 14, and son Fionn, 12.
President Michael D Higgins attended the funeral and was pictured warmly embracing the captain’s son.
The service was led by Capt Duffy’s uncle, Fr Stephen Duffy, who described the tragedy as “more than a family grief, it is a community catastrophe”.
“It seemed so unfair that while the rest of us were left untouched, a young man such as Mark – happy, generous to a fault, innocent of heart and soul, beloved of his wife and children and family and all of us – should have been so tragically removed from among us,” said Fr Duffy.
“We are here this morning in sorrow to pray for someone special. Mark was special because he was a father and like all good fathers his first thoughts were always for his children.
“I am quite certain that Mark at this very moment is, as usual, not thinking of himself but only for his children, Esmé and Fionn, and his grieving wife, Hermione, and without a shadow of a doubt Mark is telling Jesus how He must look after his children and his wife from now on.”
Capt mark Duffy's colleagues carry his funeral into the church (Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie)Describing his nephew as his “best friend”, Fr Duffy added: “Today I pray not for him but to him, that he will help his dear wife Hermione and his loving children Esmé and Fionn, and his grieving mother Sheila, and his brothers Gavan and Donard to carry the heavy cross of his loss and that from his place among God’s angels and saints he will pray for all of us who loved him so much.”
Capt Mark Duffy's wife Hermione with her children Esmé and Fionn as they follow the coffin out of the church (Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie)His funeral follows that of Capt Dara Fitzpatrick in Glencullen, Co. Dublin, while the search continues for fellow crew members Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby.
