"She was the absolute best of us:" Avril Greham laid to rest in Ballina

Mourners from across Mayo and beyond filled St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina this morning for the funeral of Avril Greham, the human rights and disability campaigner who died on Sunday at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, surrounded by her family.

Celebrant Fr Aidan O’Boyle said the size of the congregation, following the large crowd that attended the removal the previous evening, was “a powerful testament to the sheer number of lives Avril touched”.

He described her as “a momentum on wheels, a dynamo, feisty, nobody’s pushover, a trailblazer for inclusion”, and credited her leadership of the Mayo Disabled Persons Organisation and her vision for the Ballina Autism Friendly Town Initiative. “Avril didn’t just talk about inclusion; she built it, brick by brick,” he said.

“She did not fight with bitterness. She led with great love, a feisty determination, and an unbreakable spirit,” Fr O’Boyle added. He noted that her doctors had confirmed it was an exhausted heart that ultimately failed her, and said she “left nothing in the tank”.

He also quoted Ms Greham’s own words on what drove her work: “If I can help shift that experience for even one person coming up behind me, then it’s worth it.” He urged the congregation to carry on her work: “When we see someone excluded, let us think of Avril and widen the circle. When we see a barrier, let us think of Avril and help break it down.”

Mementos of a full life

Family and friends brought symbols of her passions to the altar.

Her nephew Eoghan carried her Mayo GAA jersey, and her niece Anna brought her carry-all bag, a nod to the storage on her wheelchair and to a woman who was “always prepared”.

Karen presented her Darkness Into Light hoodie, representing her voluntary work, and Shane brought forward her Ardnaree Sarsfields hoodie, a reminder of how proud she was of the club.

Simona read the reflection, and music was performed by Tara Doherty and Tony Kelly.

Fighting spirit

In a powerful eulogy, Avril’s brother Julian thanked the people of Ballina for their support, saying the family was “completely overwhelmed by the love shown over recent days” and “stunned by the amount of people that she touched”.

He recalled that their parents were once advised to simply teach Avril to feed herself. “Anyone who knew Deirdre can probably imagine how that advice went down,” he said. Because Michael and Deirdre “refused to place limits on their daughter, Avril refused to place limits on herself”.

One of the greatest gifts that Deirdre gave her children was fighting spirit, Julian told the hundreds of mourners.

“Mum is a fighter in every sense of the word. Her strength, determination, and resilience have carried her through life's toughest moments. She has shown us what courage looks like, not through grand gestures, but through the way she faces each day with dignity, resolve, and unbreakable spirit. That fighting spirit is one of the greatest gifts she has passed on to her family, especially to Avril. The determination, resilience, and refusal to give up that we see in Avril today are a reflection of the example Mum has set throughout her life.”

She attended national school, then St Mary’s in Ballina, where he said her wheelchair became “less of a challenge and more of a secret weapon”. She went on to UCD, where she formed lifelong friendships, and later worked in the civil service. Mr Greham said concerts, festivals and trips abroad were never limited by distance, logistics or her wheelchair.

‘The absolute best of us’

In recent years she left the civil service to join the Independent Living Movement Ireland. She had also founded Expanding Horizons, helped establish Mayo DPO and worked with Darkness Into Light and numerous other community groups in town.

“She dedicated herself to helping others, to creating opportunities, to break down barriers, to make sure people had a voice. Yet, despite all of those achievements, her greatest passion was never far away: Ardnaree Sarsfields and Mayo GAA.”

He told the full church that “as I stand here today, there are so many things flashing throughout my mind. The last night out we shared, the last phone call, the last drive, the last coffee, the last laugh. Memories that seem so ordinary at the time become priceless when they are all you have left.”

Their last big day out together was at Croke Park on July 26 when Avril saw her beloved Mayo win the elusive All-Ireland.

He then read a very poignant piece that Avril penned in June, “Learn How to Carry”, about losing their father 16 years ago.

In a loving reflection of how she missed her father Michael, she wrote that “grief isn't something to conquer. It is not a mountain to climb or a hurdle to overcome. It's love, love with nowhere to go. And maybe that's okay. Maybe the goal isn't to heal. Maybe the goal is simply to carry. To carry the memories, to carry the lessons, to carry the love, and to keep going, even on the double whammy days, especially on those days.”

It is a message that may carry greater meaning for Avril’s many friends over the coming months and years as they try to deal with her loss.

Julian said that Avril was the most amazing, big-hearted, generous, wonderful person I have ever known. Which makes it all the harder to accept that, in the end, it was her heart that let her down. A heart that gave so much to so many. A heart that loved without condition, a heart that never stopped caring.

He paid tribute to Avril's lifelong friend Lorraine, who he said was the friend everybody hopes to have, but so few are lucky enough to find.

He thanked her for her loyalty, the memories she helped create, and the unwavering support she gave Avril throughout the years.

“Your friendship is a testament to the power of kindness, trust, and genuine love between friends.”

He also joked that his wife Lia had achieved something very few people ever managed by getting Avril to wear a dress to his wedding.

Reflecting on Lia and Avril’s many evenings spent sharing stories, putting the world to rights and enjoying a bottle of their favourite bubbles, he said that they were far more than relatives, they were true friends.

He also spoke of Avril’s pride in her nephews and niece, and of the “never-ending” supply of ice cream she gave them.

“She was fiercely proud of each of you. She encouraged you, she cheered you on, she picked you up when you fell, and perhaps most importantly, supplied a seamlessly ending amount of ice cream and treats. She loved you as though you were her own, and I have no doubt whatsoever that today she is watching over you, still cheering you on as she always did.”

Mr Greham said his sister often helped people “quietly, without recognition, without thanks, without fanfare”. He described her as “my friend, my advisor, my travelling companion, and my sounding board”, adding: “If I’m being completely honest, she was the absolute best of us.”

He ended with the words: “You were brave. You were determined. You were extraordinary. You were loved beyond measure, and you always will be. Rest easy, Av. We’ll take it from here.”