Mourners have already started to gather at St Mary’s Church in Castleblayney, County Monaghan for the funeral of Stephen Marron.
The 47-year-old father of two died in a two-car collision in the town on Tuesday night.
Speaking outside the church a short time ago, parish priest Canon Shane McCaughey said his family ‘are in a state of shock.’
He said is the second time his parents have lost a child; their daughter Patricia died 25 years ago when she was 11 years old.
Fr McCaughey said,’They have gone down this journey before; in November 25 years ago they followed the small coffin of an 11 year old girl to this church.”
“Stephen’s own children were preparing this weekend to go away for a little treat over to Galway, Stephen had arranged for his wife and children to meet Santa Claus.”
I know the Toy Show was on last night on RTÉ and the children of the country were so much looking forward to that. I know Stephens' son and daughter were so much part of that as well.
“One of the symbols that is going to be presented today at the start of our liturgy is a little plaque that Helen, Stephen’s wife, had got for their children to give to Stephen on Christmas Day.”
“It is such a sad time in the mouth of Christmas for a family to be distraught and to be so hurting when the rest of our country rightly so is celebrating Christmas, the birth of Christ, the coming of Santa Claus and all those good things,” he said.
