Cathal McCrory was ‘wee lad with big heart’, funeral hears of teen killed in Co Down crash

Significant numbers attended the service at St Colmans Church, Dromore on Tuesday following Mr McCrory’s death in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The 18-year-old was a passenger in a car involved in a single-vehicle accident in Katesbridge. Two other people were taken to hospital and have since been discharged.

At the start of the service members of the family and friends of Mr McCrory brought up important mementos summing up his life, including family photos, a hurley stick signifying his love of GAA and even a can of Red Bull.

Speaking at the mass the priest said: “We express our support for you Peter and Pauline and members of your family in this very dark hour. Visiting the McCrory family home on Saturday morning, I was struck by the numbers there ahead of me offering support in practical ways to your family.

"Our community rallied to help.

“Cathal went to St Patricks college in Banbridge where he was a popular student, if not necessarily the best academically.

"He had begun work as a mechanic in Mulgrew here in the town. In many ways he was finding his love in life.

"He was a wee lad with a big heart and that is the recurring description in so many of the memories and remarks about Cathal.

"I think it is a good summing up of his many interests and his loves.

"From an early age he was fond of animals as the various mementos that have been brought here today show. Fond of the calves and the dogs.

“We think of his friends at school, in the GAA clubs in Dromara, where they witnessed and saw Cathal’s enthusiasm for life.

"His was a passion for things living and things mechanical, particularly if they had wheels on them.”

Mr McCrory’s death is the latest in a series of tragedies on Northern Ireland’s roads.

Also on Saturday, the funeral took place of a 16-year-old who passed away on Tuesday from injuries sustained in a crash last month.

Dylan Vallely was one of three teenage boys injured following collision in Camlough on October 28. The 16-year-old, from Newtownhamilton, had been in a critical condition in hospital following the crash.

Husband and wife Patrick and Ciera Grimley, as well as Ciara McElvanna, also died in a crash near Markethill earlier this month.

The priest urged those gathered today to use Mr McCrory’s death as motivation to make roads across Northern Ireland safer.

"As we gather here today and listen to the Lord’s word to us, what does this moment teach us who mourn the loss of Cathal?

"I return to this Sunday being the remembrance day of those who have died in road accidents. This week is road safety week and in honour of Cathal and all he means to us, can we each commit ourselves to make our roads safer?

"More can be done by our political leaders and public bodies to improve the safety of our roads. All of us can slow down, take more precautions and drive safety.

"We can all play our part in promoting and practicing road safety. While Cathal’s presence among us is cut short, we hold firm to those assurances of faith.”

Mr McCrory is survived by parents Peter and Pauline and siblings Declan, Niamh and Ronan.