Conor Browne

4th September 2023

 

Conor, a thousand words won’t bring you back,

We know because we’ve tried.

Neither will a thousand tears,

 we know because we’ve cried.

Your memory is our keepsake,

With which we’ll never part.

God has you in his keeping,

We have you in our hearts.

 

Conor's heartbroken family would like to express their deep appreciation and heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported and helped them in any way following the sudden, horrific, and completely senseless attack which resulted in the death of their much loved and widely respected Daddy to Cobie, Son, Brother, Uncle, Grandson, Nephew, Cousin, and Friend to many.

 

We wish firstly to express our sincere thanks to everyone who came to Conor’s aid on the night of the attack. Also, to the paramedics, nurses, doctors and consultants in both the ED department in Altnagelvin Hospital and the RICU in Royal Victoria Hospital.  We would like to thank all members of the Organ Donation and Transplantation team for their help and support, easing the process to enable us to honour Conor’s wishes in providing his generous gift of life and hope to others. 

 

To everyone who organised the beautiful Vigil of remembrance for Conor, especially to Rois Kelly-Lynch, Brian Meehan (Darkness into Light committee) Father Paul Fraser, Rev. Peter Ferguson, all local GAA and football clubs, local businesses, Nevaeh for her singing and to all who helped in any way, we are so truly grateful. To the Castlederg community and beyond who attended the Vigil in Conor’s memory and lined the route when bringing Conor home and to his final resting place, we were so touched and overwhelmed to see how Conor was not just loved by his family and friends but the community as a whole. 

 

Thank you to everyone who came to offer sympathy and support throughout Conor’s wake, sent mass/sympathy cards, letters of condolence, phone/social media messages, floral tributes, gave personal mementos and items of comfort to the family.  We extend our sincere gratitude to all those who helped around our home and especially our close family who worked tirelessly providing refreshments and assisting in any way they could throughout the wake. We wish to thank all our neighbours and friends and local businesses El Greco, The Forge, Castle Coffee, Haileys Homebakes, Lecky’s Vivo, Sproule’s Vivo, Grove dairy, Silverdale Care Home and any others who went over and beyond bringing provisions, food and coffees etc.

 

Thank you to everyone who attended Conor’s funeral, for those who travelled long distances and to those who could not be with us who joined us online. Also, thanks to Charlie Mc Guckin and all who assisted in the setting up of screens outside for those who could not be seated inside the chapel. Thank you to Packie Collins (Derg Media) for capturing the vigil and funeral on video, treasured memories for us all and Cobie in the future. Thank you to Laurence Floyd for preparing Conor’s final resting place.

 

We offer a very special word of thanks to Fr. Fraser for how unbelievably supportive he has been to our family throughout this difficult time. His presence, prayers and words of comfort gave us great strength and courage. We would also like to thank Fr Fraser for celebrating Conor's Requiem mass making this a beautiful fitting tribute to Conor. Thank you to Monsignor Dolan, Fr. Arkinson, Fr. Canning, Fr. Gilmore, Fr. Mc Cawille, Rev Ferguson, the Hospital Chaplain RVH and Bishop Donal McKeown for your presence and prayers.

 

We would also like to thank all who individually participated in Conor's Requiem Mass by narrating and presenting personal mementos, saying the readings, prayers of the faithful, post communion reflection and prayer and the Sacristans for preparing the chapel. Also, a special thanks to Rois Kelly-Lynch and the Musicians for the lovely music and singing which enhanced the Liturgy so much.

 

Thank you to our neighbours who provided the use of their fields for parking, to all who assisted with parking arrangements and traffic control at Conor’s wake and at the Chapel, and also to all who kindly supplied the marquees, tables, and lighting etc. We wish to sincerely thank Charlie Lynch our undertaker, for the compassionate and dignified manner in which he provided support & advice throughout the planning of all aspects of Conor’s wake and funeral.

 

To Conor’s many friends, we as a family thank you for your loyal friendship, happy memories, adventures, and laughter you all shared together. Conor’s enthusiasm to life was greatly enhanced because of your presence in it. We know you to are suffering as we all share this heartbreak, but we hope that the cherished moments you shared together will bring you some comfort in the days ahead. We will never forget your help and support given to us through this devastating time.

 

As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually, we trust that this acknowledgement will be accepted as a token of our sincere appreciation to all. 

 

Conor's Month Mind Mass will be held in St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, Drumnabey on Friday, 6th October, at 7pm.