Mark H Durkan 'blown away' by photograph of sister, Gay

A local MLA has described himself as “completely blown away” by a recent charity shop find by the mother of one of his best friends. 

In an emotional social media post, Mark H Durkan (SDLP) spoke about being given a long-lost photograph of his late sister, Gay, and himself, taken on the night of her school formal.

Speaking to Derry News, Mark said over the years since Gay’s death he had often wondered where the photograph had gone.

Long-lost photograph of Mark H Durkan with his sister, Gay.

“My lifelong friend, Eamon McGinley, lives in England now and our catch-ups are regrettably few and far between. He was over for the Cup Final at the weekend but despite our efforts to meet before the match, we never managed to [as] I went to the wrong Clayton hotel.

“Eamon texted me yesterday to see if I was about Derry. He's in town for a couple of days to see his mum, the lovely Helen, who hadn't been keeping great. He told me his mum had something that she wanted to give me and that he would swing by my office and drop it off.

“I'm always curious, so I enquired what it was. Eamon warned me 'It's a bit of a mental story' and it really is.

“Mrs McGinley recently bought a book in a local charity shop. It was a novel by Danielle Steel, 'Vanished'. When she was reading the book, she felt something stuck between the pages and a photograph fell out,” said Mark.

“It was a photo of me and my sister, Gay, on the night of her school formal,” he added. “I remember the picture being taken and I remember our Gay, believe it or not, used to have it stuck on her bedroom wall.

“We lost Gay eleven years ago. I remember her every day; her craic and her compassion. 

“I have often wondered about this photograph. Over the years I've had a few searches among her old possessions in the hope that it would turn up. I've asked others if they had any idea where it might be. It had vanished.

“I am overjoyed to have got it now but have no explanation as to how this all came about. Nobody in our house remembers having that book or even seeing that book and I can't imagine it would be the type of book that Gay would have bought herself.

“Gay always loved the paranormal and supernatural stuff. She was hugely interested in 'mysteries' and unexplained phenomena and I know she would be absolutely buzzing about the 'Mystery of the formal photo!’”

Mark said he had spoken before about the signs we get from people we love who are no longer with us.

He said: “To me, this is a sign that Gay is still with us. She was proud of me at times when, to be honest, I didn't give anyone any reasons to be proud.

“I know she'd be so proud now of her wee nephews and nieces that she never met and of my Luke and the man he's growing up to be.

“I wish she was here to enjoy them and for them to enjoy her but they do enjoy getting to hear about her and our Deirdre [another of Mark’s sisters who too sadly passed away], their two angel aunties. 

A huge heartfelt thanks to Helen for finding this photo and bringing me such joy,” said Mark.