Noreen McGarvey loved to share the gift of joy and laughter - Fr Pat Ward

Hundreds of mourners gathered for the Funeral Mass of Fianna Fáil Councillor Noreen McGarvey at St Columba's Chapel in Acres, Burtonport. 

The 52-year-old public representative passed away in the Donegal Hospice on Thursday surrounded by her loving family. Work colleagues from Caisleáin Óir, friends from Belcruit Golf Club and the Maghery Band formed a guard of honour as her funeral cortége entered the street of the Burtonport chapel.  

Father Pat Ward said Noreen loved to make everyone laugh and loved to see people smile. Her daughter Amy, who recited a poem at the end of the Funeral Mass, echoed his sentiment saying from her early days of childhood her mischief knew no limits, 'as shown on her favourite shirt, the devil made me do it.' 

The congregation was moved to tears as Amy recited the final words of her poem: "If love along could have saved you - you would've lived forever." 

Father Ward said Noreen was a woman who wore her faith like an old coat and she was an active participant in her local church being to the forefront of the choir for three decades. Her daughter Amy's musical group played songs and music during her Funeral Mass. 

The congregation in both the church and in the community centre heard from an early age Noreen loved to perform and sharing the value of happiness with people around her.  

"From an early age she was a performer for anybody who would listen and many who wouldn't as well - they found themselves entrapped by her when she did her little shows," he said. 

He said she grew up loving her life, her family and loving the community she belonged to: "She continued to feast on the energy of being able to make people laugh."

He said it was her nature to give to the community and to lend her enthusiasm to community projects. It was through her love of drama that Viola was born - a character whom Father Pat Ward said went viral. A picture of Viola was printed on the back of the pamphlets handed out at Mass. 

Noreen also loved Meatloaf and had aspirations of writing a musical that would showcase all his music and she was taken aback when the star himself did it, the congregation heard.  

She worked for years in the former MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher's office and was an important part of his team. She joined former Councillor David Alcorn's team in 1999. Father Ward said it came as no surprise that she herself would become involved in the council. 

"She wasn't a person who saw problems - she was a person who found solutions. She worked for people and she liked to see people happy," he said.

Noreen became sick around 7 years ago and carried her illness with great poise and dignity. The illness recurred again over two years ago. She didn't like to worry people, Fr Ward said, so she spoke little of it: "She didn't want people to look at her with sadness. She wanted to continue to live, to laugh and to love and that is what she did."

Over the last while, she gave clues to her family as to what she wanted at her Funeral Mass, he said: "she wanted sunflowers on top of her coffin to indicated the vibrant life she lived and that she loved and that she shared with so many with great joy. She wanted her Cruit Island Golf Club jacket on - something she was very proud of. She told them the different hymns she would like and I think none of them really thought that she was preparing for this day."

However, when her Funeral Mass came to pass everyone had something they could contribute to it. 

"What she did want was that even in the sadness of this passing this would be a celebration of her life - a life well lived," he said. 

Noreen was born on December 7, 1971. She was called Noreen after her grandmother Nora and Concepta because the nun that was there at birth asked them to consider the name Concepta because she was born on the eve of the immaculate conception. 

Amy thanked all the medical teams who had helped Noreen during her illness. She paid particular thanks to the team of Medical 6 at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) and to the staff of the Donegal Hospice whom she said treated her mother with such dignity and true loving care to the end.

She thanked Father Shane Gallagher (LUH) and the Donegal Hospice, Father John Joe Duffy who came to their home on Christmas Day and brought her and her family much comfort, Father Pat Ward who helped planning her Funeral Mass, for Father Nigel Gallagher who said Rosaries and gave kind words 'to help the healing of our hearts' and to all the priests who were present at the Funeral Mass. She thanked their neighbours and communities for helping them saying that they are all a 'testament to mammy's legacy of kindness and helping others.'

She thanked all her family members whom she said were all supportive of one another and said they had all shown 'their true McGarvey' colours.  

Father Pat Ward was the main celebrant at the Mass, the Mass was concelebrated by Father John Joe Duffy and Father Brian Ó Fearraigh, Father Seán Ó Gallachóir and Father Matt McInerny were also present. 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin was represented at the Funeral Mass by aide-de-camp Commandant Claire Mortimer. Also present was the Mayor of Donegal and Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council (DCC) Councillor Martin Harley, Minister Charlie McConalogue and the CEO of DCC John McLaughlin were present alongside council executives and area managers from DCC, the Cathaoirleach of Glenties Municipal District (GMD) Independent Councillor Michael McClafferty, her colleagues in the GMD Independent Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig, Fianna Fáil Councillor Anthony Molloy and Sinn Féin Councillors Marie Therese Gallagher and John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh.  TD Pearse Doherty were also present. Former Tanáiste Mary Coughlan was present and former Leas-Cheann Comhairleach, MEP and TD Pat The Cope Gallagher. Former and present councillors were in attendance. 

A guard of honour made up of elected representatives, former elected representatives and DCC staff walked in the funeral cortége from St Mary's Hall on the road to the cemetery in Belcruit.