St Johnston stands still as 'kind human being' Patricia McBrearty laid to rest

The village of St Johnston came to a standstill on Wednesday as beloved mother and grandmother Patricia McBrearty was laid to rest.

An autumnal sun shed its light on a grief-stricken community as Ms McBrearty's remains were brought to St Baithin's Church for her Funeral Mass.

Ms McBrearty, who was aged in her early 80s, was killed when she was struck by a lorry in a tragic incident just yards from her home on Church Street, St Johnston last Friday afternoon.

Doors closed and shutters pulled on St Johnston's Main Street as a mark of respect to a woman remembered as a centrepiece of the area whose own door was open to so many in her locality over the years.

“We remember the kind human being that she was,” chief concelebrant and neighbour Fr Oliver McCrossan told mourners.

“Last Friday afternoon when news of Patricia's tragedy and sudden death became known, there was deep sadness and shock in our community.”

“God does not send these crosses that affect us. . . God is asking us to be there to support one another. Our faith tells us that despite the darkness we are called together.”

The funeral cortège was led by a Harley Davidson, steered by Sammy Magee, who grew up next door to the McBrearty family.

Predeceased by her husband Paddy in 1987, Ms McBrearty is survived by her loving children Brian, Tina and Susie and adoring grandchildren Cara, Hannah, PJ and Eimear.

She is also survived by her sister Anne Strain and had only recently mourned the passing of another sister, Elizabeth Kavanagh, the former postmistress in their native Fahan.

Fr McCrossan told the large crowd, which overflowed to the Church car park, that Ms McBrearty had family at the centre of her world and urged the local community to rally around at this dark time.

In her early years, she worked in the office of a shirt factory in Buncrana and later she was also a popular figure in a local newsagents in St Johnston.

Earlier this year, Ms McBrearty spent a period of time in hospital, but overcame an illness.

“From February to July of this year, Patricia was quite ill and in hospital,” Fr McCrossan said.

“Thanks be to God, and with the help of the doctors and medical care she received, she made a good recovery and indeed in recent times, she had been in good form – getting back to her old self.”

Ms McBrearty lived a life of faith, he said, and trusted God in good times and bad, returning to Mass in recent times again.

Fr McCrossan was joined by concelebrants Fr Philip Kemmy, Fr Oliver Crilly and Fr Frankie Lynch.

St Johnston-born priest Fr Joseph Gillespie and local Presbyterian Minister Rev Craig Wilson were also among a large crowd who were in attendance.

Gardai have issued a fresh appeal for information surrounding the fatal road traffic collision, which occurred at around 2pm on Friday.

Ms McBrearty was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the collision to come forward. Any road users who have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were in the area of St. Johnston at the time of the collision are asked to make this footage available to the investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on 074 916 7100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.”