Jordan Dunbar was a “beautiful soul” and “a huge lover of hugs” who loved to laugh and dance, his funeral mass heard today.
The RTE star’s funeral took place this morning in the Church of the Holy Trinty in Donaghmede. “Jordo’s” love of life and his family and friends were remembered, as were his sense of style, his career success and his colourful personality.
Jordan starred on First Dates Ireland, Generation Dating, and My Yellow Brick Road, where he used his own life experiences to help others through the hardships in their lives. An array of bright colours could be seen at his funeral mass, after people were asked to wear them to celebrate his life.
Read more: Mourners at Jordan Dunbar’s funeral asked to wear ‘bright colours’
Mourners were wearing red, green, blue, orange or pink under black coats in honour of their friend. They heard about Jordan’s loss of his “adored” uncle Mickey in 2010, followed by the even greater loss of his mam Sharon, who was “his best friend” and “his rock”.
His cousin Eva said: “On February 5, 2015, Jordan lost his best friend who was, of course, his mam. They were inseparable.
"She was his rock and he was her baby. The hole in his life was something that neither love nor time would ever heal. We hope that he is back with them both now and at peace, or at least dancing away with them to the Sugababes.”
Eva thanked his friends who stepped in as Jordan's second family and completely took him under their wing after the loss of his mother. She said: “These were the most important people in Jordan's life and are the ones who are with him in his highest of highest and his lowest of lows.
"Jordan will be remembered as “bubbly, glamorous, extra, sparkly, humorous, unapologetic, passionate, loving and colourful. He was a force of nature.
“He loved gymnastics. He was double-jointed and could twist himself into any shape. The solo routine started with a bit of Sugababes, Spice Girls and Britney. He then went on to handstand and cartwheel throughout the rest of his life.
“He was not only intelligent, but strong, self-aware, talented, friendly, fabulous. A beautiful human being with great wits and soul. Some say he was an old soul, but less of the old. This list is endless because there were so many layers and depths to him and his personality."
Fr Gerry Corcoran, who performed the service said: “On that difficult day for his dad Albert, for his family, for his friends, if there's any consolation in this, is that Jordan once more is back home with his mam and he'll be loved.” After that, he urged people going through a difficult time to talk with their close ones and move from the dark place they might be and “out into the light again”.
Jordan’s family thanked the Dublin Fire Brigade and paramedic services, as well as the staff at Beaumont Hospital who looked after him and “so lovingly ensured his comfort and afforded him great kindness in his final days”. The mass ended with his cousin Eva sharing Jordan’s own words: “Life is a beautiful thing. Something to cherish and grab by the horns and just enjoy.”
The mass was also attended by Irish Big Brother contestant and Operation Transformation producer Anna Nolan and Jordan's fellow My Yellow Brick Road mentor Noel Sutton.
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