Funeral takes place of 'gentleman' Brian Campbell who tragically died in Donegal accident

The funeral of Derry man Brian Campbell, who tragically died in a hiking accident, has taken place.

Mr Campbell (59) died on Saturday while he was walking with another man in the Poisoned Glen area of Dunlewey when he sustained fatal injuries after a fall.

Gardai and the emergency services were notified at around 1pm on Saturday, April 20. A recovery operation was launched and the coroner was informed. His body was taken to the mortuary at Letterkenny University (LUH) Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

A second man also suffered injuries and was airlifted from the scene to LUH for treatment of what have been described as 'non-life threatening'.

Donegal Mountain Rescue who took part in the recue effort described the weekend incident in Dunlewey was a 'catastrophic accident'.

At today's Requiem Mass in St Mary's Church, Creggan, parish priest, Fr Daniel McFaul described Mr Campbell as a 'gentleman' whose death brought 'shockwaves' across Derry and Donegal.

Fr McFaul told mourners: "Brian went out for a hike with his best friend Tony, doing what he loved to do. Brian's death has brought shockwaves across our entire community, both here in Derry and in Donegal."

Fr McFaul added: "He was the go-to person in the family and amongst his neighbours and friends. Brian will fix it. I'll get Brian to do that. Brian will look at that. He was a jack of trades, a handyman.

"You always walked away from Brian with a smile on your face. He had a way with him, known how to cheer you up, known how to lift the mood."

"The lynchpin that held it all together," he added.

Fr McFaul told parishioners how Mr Campbell was described by his children as 'a wile man', who was 'sarcastic, witty, a real take the hand'.

Fr McFaul added: "He (Brian) was a community man, gentle and kind to all neighbours and friends. Always on the ball in doing a good turn. He reached out to many a person in need.

"He gave everything he did 100%."

He continued: "He loved the simple things in life. Loved having his family around him, his friends, the outdoors and shorts. He loved wearing shorts, even to his mother's months mind to the disarray of his sisters.

"He loved to hike. he did the highest peaks in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. He was like mountain goat. On Christmas Day, he and Caomhán climbed Mount Errigal, that was a powerful day."

Fr McFaul said Mr Campbell 'idolised' his family, wife Donna of 25 years and children Caomhán and Nicole.

"Brian lived his vocation as a husband and a father to the tee. He respected all people and saw and respected every person as an individual. He instilled love and joy in every person he met. Reaching out to the most vulnerable in society and never a word said.

"He was a gentleman, he was beautiful person, fun-loving. he loved the craic in so many ways. he loved life and lived it to the full, loving to live and living to love."

Mr Campbell was the beloved husband of Donna, loving father of Caomhán and Nicole, dear son of the late Agnes, loving brother of Pauline, Donna, Paul, Jacqueline, Neil and Stephen, and a devoted uncle and great-uncle to all his nieces and nephews.

He was laid to rest in the City Cemetery.