THE recent death of Eunan Doherty, 15 McNeely Villas, Letterkenny, has brought great sadness to all those who knew him.

Eunan passed away peacefully in Letterkenny University Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

His Requiem Mass took place in St Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny, celebrated by Fr Damien Nejad.

Eunan grew up at 5 Ballymacool Terrace with his mother Lily, his two sisters, May and Phyllis and his brother, Hughie. As a young man, Eunan joined the army and served in the Congo in the 1960s. He spent a total of six and a half years in the military.

After that, he started working in the Department of Post and Telegraphs (known as P&T) which later became Telecom Éireann.

He worked there until his retirement, but as Fr Nejad told the congregation, Eunan didn’t slow down after that.

“Eunan liked to keep busy, whether it was working in security, making deliveries for SuperValu or helping out in any way that he could,” said Fr Nejad.

“Yet if work was important to him, his faith was even more so. It was part of his daily life.”

Fr Nejad said Eunan and his wife Mary attended Mass every morning, parking his car in front of the parochial house.

“Following the death of his mother, he made a point of visiting Conwal every Sunday. He would not simply visit one grave, he would make a point to get around them all, remembering those who had gone before him and praying for them. It was an act of kindness on his part and he repeated this week after week for a very long time.

“His commitment to the church was also evident when his children were growing up. He used to take up baskets at a Saturday evening Mass here in the Cathedral, and this was a Mass he attended faithfully.”

Eunan’s sister, May passed away two years ago and his brother, Hughie was tragically killed in Lebanon in 1981.

“These losses were very much part of Eunan’s story and part of the story of his family whom he loved so dearly,” said Fr Nejad.

After Mass, Eunan was laid to rest in Conwal Cemetery.

Eunan is predeceased by his mother, Lily, sister, May Lynch and brother, Hughie. He is sadly missed by his loving wife, Mary, heartbroken sons, Gerald (Eileen), Brian, daughters, Caroline (David), Fiona (Damien), Carmel (Gareth), Donna (Phelim), seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, sister, Phyliss (John), sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, neighbours and good friends.