A CO Tyrone man who died tragically in a motorbike accident in Australia has been laid to rest.
Tiarnan Rafferty (22), from Galbally, died after his motorcycle collided with a car in a Sydney suburb on Sunday, February 18. A former pupil at St Ciaran's College in Ballygawley, he had worked in the construction industry after moving to Australia in recent years.
Speaking ahead of the largely attended funeral mass in the Church of St John the Baptist in Galbally yesterday, Fr Gerard McAleer, parish priest at Donaghmore spoke of a popular young man who will be sorely missed.
"Everyone who I have spoken to have all said he was a nice, lovely young fella. He went to Australia, he didn't have to go, he just went for the adventure, but he was home at Christmas for five weeks, which is a great consolation to his family. He had hoped to come back home when his time was up."
"He had another couple of years ahead of him, but the family wouldn't have been surprised had he come home early, because he was very central to the life of the local community, just a nice young fella, full of fun and adventure. It's just heart-breaking. This is just another human story, another tragic story. We're all grieving regardless of how well or remotely we knew him," he said.
The death of Mr Rafferty, the son of the prominent Tyrone republican Sharon Jordan, comes just three years after his great aunt was killed in tragic circumstances in Bulgaria.
Mother-of-four Rosaleen Donaghy (53), died after being struck by a car while on holiday in the Black Sea resort of Sunny Beach in August 2014.
"The wider family have had awful grief and I suppose they're still trying to recover from that," Fr McAleer said.
"But they're a remarkably resilient family and the community have really rallied round them. This is where you see community really at work, at a time of grief. Where everybody rolls in. The family don't have to worry about anything, everybody takes on responsibility, every element is attended to, from crowd control, making tea, lights, sounds, making road signs. It's really a joy to behold."
Following yesterday's mass in the Church of St John the Baptist, burial took place in adjoining graveyard.
Tiarnan Rafferty is survived by parents Damien and Sharon and siblings Aine and Cathair. The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust assisted in returning Mr Rafferty's remains to his family.
