'Alan loved his family and God'

THE chief celebrant at the funeral of Louth road tragedy victim, Alan McCluskey, 23, fought back tears while reciting the homily at the young Meath man's funeral on Friday morning.

- BY ANDREW E QUINN

MOURNER Catherine Connolly & Fr Finian

Father Finian Connaughton, Parish Priest of Drumconrath-Meath Hill, is very close to the McCluskey family and he paid tribute to Alan's parents Bernie and Martin.

"Sudden and unexpected death does terrible things to us. Even as we carry out the funeral rituals there is still an air of disbelief, incomprehension that this is happening to someone who sat in these benches two Sundays ago, someone we saw driving his van up the street only a few days ago," said Fr Connaughton.

"I think it is fairly accurate to say that we feel something of the shocked confusion that was experienced by those two disciples, who were close friends of Jesus, and whom we meet in today's gospel.