Mourners at the funeral of Longford Garda Mark Mulligan wear Arsenal jerseys in tribute

An enormous crowd gathered at St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford town today for the funeral of a much loved Garda, 34 year old Mark Mulligan, formerly of Farnagh, and later Aughnacliffe; a man described by those who knew him as "a gentleman" and “a genuinely good soul.”  

Celebrating the mass was Fr Michael McGrath, who was joined by two concelebrants, Mark’s good friend and former teacher, Fr Joe McGrath, and chaplain to the Gardaí, Fr Joe Kennedy. 

Throughout the mass, there were many nods to Mark’s beloved soccer team, Arsenal. A club scarf was placed across his coffin, while a number of mourners in attendance wore Arsenal jerseys in tribute. A young family member wore a jersey emblazoned with the name of Mark’s all time favourite soccer player, Thierry Henry. 

An Arsenal blanket also featured in the gifts that were brought to the altar.

Other gifts included a mug which symbolised Mark’s "conviviality, friendship and all the chats over a mug of tea.”

A Bruce Springsteen CD was handed to Fr Joe to symbolise Mark’s love of music, and in particular, songs by ‘The Boss.’ 

The last gift handed to Fr Joe McGrath - a pair of football boots - was a rather poignant one given that Fr Joe had coached Mark in football back when Mark was a student in St Mel's.  

Said Fr Michael, “This last gift is going to be a hard one for Fr Joe to accept. Mark’s football boots. They evoke memories of days of indoor soccer in St Mel's and the trickery of Mark on the pitch and how he made a fool of his teacher very often” added Fr Michael, injecting a little light humour that Mark himself would have no doubt appreciated. “He was a skilled footballer and a gifted sportsman” Fr Michael said.  

He continued, “Mark was a colleague who stood in the gap for others, often on dark days, often under pressure, carrying the burdens of a community most of us will never know. He gave himself to service and protecting others and for that, we honour him today. The condolences posted in the last number of days speak of a man who was warm and kind. A gentleman."

"He was repeatedly described as caring and respectful and a genuinely good soul who treated everybody well. Friendly and joyful, he was someone who always had time for a chat, a laugh and made people feel at ease in his presence. A committed servant to others in his community, Mark touched so many lives across family, friends, community, sport, and his work. A true gentleman and a role model, he will be remembered for his decency, humility, and integrity both personally and professionally."

A special mention of remembrance was given to Mark’s beloved grandparents Vincent and Mary, his granduncle Mel, and his colleague and friend, Martin, who passed away four months ago. 

Mark’s best friend since childhood, Chris Klein, came forward to share a beautiful personal tribute to Mark, one that evoked as many laughs as it did tears.  

Addressing the congregation, he said, "me and Mull have been best friends for the last 30 years.”  

“I was fully convinced that at some stage in my life I would stand before you as Mark’s best man at his wedding, but such is life, I’m now here saying his eulogy, and a lot of what I would have been saying as his best man, I’m going to talk to you about today.” 

Chris recounted his earliest memories of how he and Mark would "play endless hours football in the alleyway between Mulligan’s house and Keegan’s house up in Farnagh” and the trials of having to find a new place to play every time “Noel Keegan, Lord have mercy on him, came out and ran us.” 

Chris went on to recall starting St Mel's secondary school with Mark in 2003, sharing how within 6 weeks of arriving at the school, the 'brothers' had to be swiftly “separated into separate sides of every class in St Mel's” after it dawned on their teachers that the pair were already firm best friends and likely to be a bad influence on each other.   

Chris added, "Mull loved school and he loved the bonds he had with different teachers. Some of his favourite teachers were Niall Gannon from St Michaels, Fr Joe McGrath, Malachy Flanagan, Georgina Ainscough, John Boland, and Tiernan Dolan. This is testament to them as professionals and the role they play in guiding young people and I draw great inspiration from that myself as a teacher. They saw the greatness in Mark when sometimes he didn’t see it himself.”  

Speaking about Mark's work as a member of An Garda Síochána, Chris said Mark's "kind, caring, considerate" nature made him perfect for the job.

"He had a great personality for it," Chris continued. "I think about the times he would have been in the station answering calls from people in distress and I’ve no doubt about it, he was a calming influence in the community and the perfect choice for a Garda. He served them well.”  

Recalling Mark’s music love of music, Chris spoke of them going to gigs such as “Lynyrd Skynyrd in the 3Arena, AC/DC in the Aviva, and even Declan Nerney in The Marquee in Drumlish!” 

Chris added, “His major love was Bruce Springsteen’s music. He must have been doing a nixer for Bruce, he was at so many of his gigs in recent years. One of Bruce’s songs Mark introduced me to was ‘Backstreets.’ The lyrics reminded him of Farnagh, his happy place. The streets of Farnagh were Mull’s happy place.”  

Towards the end of his eulogy, Chris shared what he would miss most about his lifelong best friend.  

“What I loved most about Mull was his presence. In recent years, such is the nature of life, you drift, but with Mull, we were always in contact. We always had each other’s backs. It’s that presence I’m going to miss the most. He was the best man at my wedding. He was even there when my daughter Grace was born. I’ve another child on the way and it breaks my heart to know that when I’m at the baptismal font in the church, he won’t be there.” 

“The second thing I’m going to miss the most is his absolutely insane laugh. Mull was often the funniest man in the room and then he’d start laughing and it’d become even funnier. To this day I’ll never know if what he said was funny or how he laughed was funnier, but that will stay with me as well.”  

In addressing Mark's closest family members with touching words, Chris said to Mark's mother, "Marie there are no words and I’m not even going to try, but I will say this. I have a child, so I’m qualified to speak as a parent, and looking around the cathedral, the love everyone has for Mull is testament to you as a parent. If I can instil half as much of that love into my kids as you have into Mark, I’ll be a success. You should be very proud of yourself." 

In what was undoubtedly the most difficult part of his eulogy, Chris shared with the congregation a word of advice, one that had been prompted by a letter from Mark.       

“Before Mull did what he thought was the right thing to do, he wrote me a letter. The content of that letter will remain with me, and only me, for the rest of my life. What I had to read was one of the saddest things of my life and something I’m still coming to terms with, but I will say this. He suffered a darkness that was unimaginable, and I’m appealing now to everybody here today; if a greyness comes over your life, seek help and get help because if that greyness turns to darkness, it’s very scary."

"In that letter, he also made me make him a promise. To remember him and keep him alive. Mull I’m making that promise to you; that’s exactly what I’m going to do, and I’m hoping everyone here today will do the same thing.”  

“Mull this is it. This is a goodbye until we meet again. What a friendship. I love you and I’m going to miss you.”

A loud applause rippled through the cathedral, the congregation standing in ovation as Chris stepped down from the altar.

After final prayers, an enormously long queue of people filed past Mark's family to pay their respects, many placing a hand on his coffin in sadness and disbelief over the loss of a man that had been repeatedly described as a "kind and good natured gentleman."     

To a beautiful but heart-breaking rendition of Mark's favourite Bruce Springsteen song, ‘Backstreets’, his coffin was carried from At Mel's Cathedral one last time.

Mark 'Mull' Mulligan was laid to rest in Ballymacormack Cemetery.