Derry's Shantallow community rallies as first of tragic crash funerals takes place

The funeral has taken place of one of the Derry teenagers who tragically died in a road traffic accident in Donegal.

Eighteen-year-old Caoimhin Porter-McLoone sadly lost his life on Tuesday night when the car he was travelling in collided with a lorry in the border village of St Johnston.

Caoimhin's friend Daniel Cullen also died in the tragic accident. A third man is being treated for serious injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

A large number of mourners followed behind the hearse as it arrived at St Brigid's Church, Carnhill for Requiem Mass on Saturday morning under clear blue sky.

A number of mourners wore the jersey of Caoimhin's former football club Don Bosco's, while family members wore the jerseys of his favourite football team, Manchester United.

The late Caoimhin Porter-McLoone.

Parish priest Fr Michael McGavigan told mourners that Caoimhin's death had left two families and two communities "carrying a grief that feels unbearable". Caoimhin’s death had "come suddenly and painfully, and it has left many hearts broken", he added.

A photo of Caoimhin, a hat and scarf from his beloved Manchester United Football Club were brought to the altar before Mass commenced. 

Fr McGavigan described Caoimhin as a "kind-hearted, caring, handsome, funny young man" and "a deep thinker", and "an old soul" who was "wise beyond his years".

Fr McGavigan said: "He loved deep conversations. He was interested in philosophy and the bigger questions of life. He had a way of thinking things through and talking things out, a way of seeing beyond the surface.

"At home, he and his mum Stephanie could often be found discussing everything from conspiracy theories to whether there was other life in the universe — much to Chloe’s amusement. It’s a small detail, but it says something striking: a mother and son who truly enjoyed one another’s company, who talked, laughed, and shared ideas freely.

"Like so many young people, he loved football — a devoted Manchester United fan — the PlayStation, and music blaring through his headphones. His playlist said a lot about him: Eminem, Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne — a mix that matched his personality.

"He went to St Therese’s Primary School, where he made his First Communion and Confirmation, and later to St Brigid’s College, where he was well liked and a good student. He played football for Don Bosco’s when he was younger, until an injury put an end to that chapter."

Fr McGavigan continued: "More recently, he had started going to the gym, looking after himself, taking pride in things. He was preparing to attend interview sessions at Vertiv, ready to start work and step into adulthood. He had plans to travel — with his interest in architecture, he wanted to see historic places like Edinburgh and Rome. He had planned to go to a Manchester United match this year — a special connection with his dad Darren, with whom he shared that love of football.

"But most of all, Caoimhin was deeply loved at home.

"Stephanie speaks of a good child who never brought bother, always smiling, always ready to wind her up and enjoy a carry on. He was affectionate and loving — never leaving the house without a hug, a kiss, and an “I love you.” Those moments are priceless now. They are a gift that nothing can take away.

"He was idolised by his younger siblings — Hunter, Shea, Darren and Ben — and shared a special, close bond with his older sister Chloe; partners in crime, deeply connected. He was a good help around the home. And even after all the loss he had already endured — the death of his granny, his uncle, and then his father — he did not grow hard or bitter. He remained sensitive to others, able to sense when someone needed a lift, and willing to give it. He always tried to see the good in people and in situations.

"That tells us everything about the kind of young man he was."

Fr McGavigan urged to Caoimhin's friends to "check in" on each other following the accident that has devastated the local community.

"Grief and mourning are not tidy or predictable. They come in waves," he said. "Some days you can cope; other days something small — a song, a place, a memory — brings everything crashing back. People grieve differently: some cry, some go quiet, some feel anger, some feel numb. All of it can be part of love.

"So today, gently and honestly, we remind one another: be patient with yourselves, and be patient with each other. Don’t compare grief. Don’t rush it. And please don’t carry it alone. Lean on family. Lean on friends. Check in on one another. Sit together in silence if that’s all you can do. Love does not remove pain, but it makes pain bearable."

He added: "To Stephanie, Chloe, Hunter, Shea, Darren and Ben; Eamon and Isobel, and the many young people who are here today — friends who grew up together in Shantallow, friends from St Brigid’s College, a close-knit group who looked out for one another:

"We are not here to explain away the pain of Caoimhin’s death. We are not here to pretend this is anything other than heartbreaking and unfair. But we are here to say this with quiet conviction: God does not create such goodness in a life to allow it simply to end in nothing. A heart like Caoimhin’s — affectionate, loyal, thoughtful, generous — is not a mistake, and it is not wasted.

"His life did not end on Tuesday evening. His life continued — and continues — under God’s gentle gaze, until we meet again.

"Today, we commend Caoimhin to God — the God who knows him completely and loves him infinitely. We entrust him to mercy. We believe that he is safe, held, and at peace — reunited with his dad Darren, resting in a love that cannot be taken away."

Concluding Fr McGavigan said: "And to everyone who mourns today: keep walking together. Keep talking. Keep looking out for one another. Carry Caoimhin’s kindness forward, because that is how love endures. That is how, even when the world has changed, we learn to see differently.

"May Caoimhin Porter-McLoone rest in peace. And may God comfort Stephanie, Chloe, Hunter, Shea, Darren and Ben; Eamon and Isobel; the wider family circle and friends; and all who grieve today — until the day we meet again. Amen."

Caoimhin was laid to rest in the City Cemetery.

The funeral of the second crash victim, Daniel Cullen, will take place tomorrow, Sunday, March 1 at 1.15pm Our Lady of Lourdes, Steelstown.