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Sad passing of Buncrana undertaker
02.06.11
by Linda McGrory
THE funeral will take place today of a Buncrana man
who compassionately buried the dead of his home
parish for nearly six decades.
Well-known undertaker, Tony McLaughlin, passed away
at the Donegal Hospice earlier this week at the age
of 77.
Tony (Wanish) started out in the funeral business as
an assistant to the late Hughie Kearney in 1952 and
eventually bought out the business in 1975.
Raymond McLaughlin joined him as a partner some
years later and the company was renamed McLaughlin &
McLaughlin Funeral Directors.
Cllr Rena Donaghey yesterday made an emotional
tribute to her friend and long-time neighbour, whom
she described as a "real gentleman".
"Tony was one of the best neighbours anyone could
have. He was the man in Cockhill Park that everyone
went to. It didn't have to be an undertaking job,
Tony knew all about electrics and would fix our
washing machines and our lawnmowers and all sorts of
things. He was good craic too and had great wee
stories. |
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"As an undertaker, Tony
was always calm and considerate. He was never in a
hurry and would work quietly in the background," she
said.
He loved gardening too and enjoyed keeping Cockhill
green tidy with a ride-on mower bought by the local
residents.
Sadly, the father-of-eleven was no stranger to
personal bereavement having been pre-deceased by two
children, Kevin and Eileen, and grandson Shaun, who
was killed in the Omagh bomb. |
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The late Tony McLaughlin. |
Cllr Donaghey was among family, friends and
neighbours who gathered last June for a party at
home to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of
Tony and his beloved wife Agnes. The local
councillor said the local community was
“heartbroken” at his death.
In an interview three years ago with Inishowen News,
Tony said he never found undertaking depressing and
would tell himself: “I'm helping a family at a hard
time in their life”.
Chief mourners at today’s funeral will be his wife
Agnes, sons John, Owen, Paul, Pat and Michael and
daughters Annabel, Agnes, Frances and Mary.
Tony will be laid to rest following 11am Requiem
Mass in St Mary's Church, Cockhill. To read Tony's
2008 interview click
here . |
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