The death from a sudden illness of Majella Donoghue on a trip with her fiancé to South Africa was the stuff of a tearful TV drama, a priest said at her funeral Sunday.
But unfortunately, the script was all too true, Fr Kevin Hegarty told mourners at St Brendan’s Church, Tirrane, on the Erris Peninsula, Co. Mayo.
Fr Hegarty, the parish priest of Kilmore Erris, was one of 11 priests who joined in concelebrating the funeral Mass for the 30 year-old in the tiny church where she was baptised and made her Holy Communion.
“Majella was our Sunday in every week, beautiful, vivacious and sensitive”, Fr Hegarty continued.
“She captured the heart of everyone she met.”
Fr Hegarty recalled that Majella used to help her mother, Mary, in the maintenance and care of the church. He mentioned her love of the Father Ted television series, adding "perhaps she was well used to priestly foibles having worked so often in the sacristy here".
Fr Hegarty said Majella’s life was “shaped by love, loyalty and laughter” and he spoke of her generosity to her widowed mother who she brought as a treat to chef Neven Maguire’s restaurant in Blacklion, Co. Cavan, a few weeks before her death.
“They dined well but rather more sparingly than in Mary’s kitchen”, Fr Hegarty remarked.
Ms Donoghue, who worked for Boston Scientific in Galway, was waked in her family home adjacent to the church on Saturday night after the remains had been flown in earlier from London to Ireland West Airport Knock.
She died in London after becoming ill on a flight from Cape Town where she and her fiancé, Barry Doherty, had collected an engagement ring.
Mr Doherty, her mother, Mary, twin brother, Stephen, sister Angela, and brothers, Tommy, David and Brendan were the chief mourners.
In an eulogy at the end of the Mass, Mr Doherty recalled her love for fancy dress and festivals especially the Father Ted weekends on the Aran Islands.
“I love her dearly, I will miss her so much”, he said.
Gifts brought to the altar inlcuded a statue of Our Lady, a bodhran, teddy bears and the Mayo jersey which she wore to GAA matches.
The results of a post mortem into her death are not yet available.