The heartbroken dad of a young man who died in Greece has urged young people to “go and live your best life but treasure it.”
Rory Deegan, 23, from Oldtown, Cullohill in Co Laois died on Sunday, June 25 in Zakynthos after he was found unresponsive in a swimming pool. He had travelled to the Greek island with four other pals to work for the summer.
Rory was heavily involved in GAA football and hurling as well as soccer and had been studying at the Technological Univeristy of the Shannon, his Requiem Mass at St Tighearnach’s Church in his native Cullohill heard this morning.
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Chief mourners at the funeral Mass were his heartbroken parents Joe and Diane, brothers Conor, Barry, Ross and Jack and sister Rachael, his grandparents Donal and Margaret, extended family, neighbours and large circle of friends.
In his homily, Rory’s cousin Fr Bobby Fletcher, said “Rory has gone home to God. Parting with him is a shattering experience for Joe and Diane, Conor, Barry, Ross, Jack and Rachel and the extended Deegan family. They were consumed by his presence and devastated by his absence.”
“Someone once described a special person as one who acts from the heart and keeps in mind the hearts of others. One who spreads love with a smile. One who is admired and can never be replaced. Whoever came up with that definition must have known Rory - a bubbly, good humoured person who simply made others feel special,” said Fr Fletcher.
Rory’s heartbroken dad Joe spoke fondly of his beloved son, saying when he was younger it didn’t take him long to make his presence known with “his free spirited personality, his distinctive looks, his cheeky smile and of course his blonde curly locks which he loved.”
Joe described Rory’s fascination with runners - where many trips were delayed because he couldn’t find his Nikes.
“This fascination with runners continued throughout his life and he probably imported more runners from China than Champion Sports,” said Joe.
He described Rory’s pals from primary school right through secondary school and college as his son’s “life long friends.
Joe described how Rory brought home “someone really special in his life” -his sheepdog Spud whom Rory loved to bits, called her his Queen and was always saying “She is beautiful.”
Joe described how thrilled Rory was to have scored a decisive goal for The Harps Junior C Hurling team on their way to winning the County final last year and how Rory “wasn’t slow in trying to educate” his younger brothers Ross and Jack in the “tricks to succeed in the dating game,” and how protective he was of his sister Rachel.
Rory worked in the family business Deegan’s Centra shop in the Kilkenny village of Urlingford and Mr Deegan said: “Rory had a fantastic way of connecting with people with his warm, charming personality and how Rory recently said friends were everything.”
"He was lucky he got to go to so many festivals and trips away to places like Rhodes, Magaluf, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Amsterdam and Liverpool before his final, fatal trip to Zakynthos in Greece.
Joe recalled how happy Rory was to embark on his trip to Greece with his pals.
"The night I dropped Rory and his friends off in Portlaoise to get the bus to Dublin Airport to set off on this new adventure, I never saw him so happy, and I was almost envious of the friends he had."
Mr Deegan said: "I would like now to speak directly to the young people here, and maybe it applies to all of us.
"Life is a gift, go and live your best life, use every talent that you have been given.
"But remember. Life is fragile. Never take it for granted, look after it and treasure it."
During the funeral service a number of items were brought to the altar to represent Rory’s life, including a photo of his beloved dog Spud, an airline ticket, his Centra uniform, GAA jerseys, a Liverpool jersey and scarf and his first hurl.
Rory’s brother Conor recited the words of "You'll Never Walk Alone,” in memory of his brother while another brother Barry sang Christy Moore’s ‘Ride On.’
Rory's burial took place afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
