Funeral of Michael O’Grady at St. Aidan’s Cathedral. Pic: John Walsh

“A SHOW of solidarity” took place during the removal of an elderly man who passed away on Wednesday after a backlog of traffic almost prevented his coffin being taken to St. Aidan’s Cathedral.

The removal of Michael O’Grady (93) from his home at 19 Belfield Road, Enniscorthy took place on Thursday evening but was halted when a road traffic accident took place nearby.

Traffic was backed up throughout the town, and when Enniscorthy Garda Station was contacted about the matter, Gardai told the O’Grady family there was nothing they could do.

The family decided to take the matter into their own hands and to carry the coffin from Belfield to the cathedral.

The task was by no means an easy one, with family members having to take turns in carrying the coffin in freezing temperatures for a journey lasting around 40 minutes.

Undertaker assistant Donnacha Kearns, of Crosbie’s Funeral Home, said he’d never seen anything like it during his eight years in the job, describing it as “a real show of solidarity”.

“Everyone was in good spirits about it, and the family were making jokes like Michael was having the last laugh and so on,” he told The Echo. “It was nice to see them all helping one another in the way that they did.”
Mr. O’Grady was laid to rest the next day in St. Mary’s Cemetery, following Funeral Mass by Chief Celebrant Fr. Billy Swan in the cathedral.

Full story in this week’s Echo.