LAST UPDATE | 29 Jun

MOURNERS GATHERED IN Sligo this afternoon for the funeral mass of former RTÉ journalist Tommie Gorman. 

The Sligo man died earlier this week at the age of 68, surrounded by his family.

His funeral took place today in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Ransboro, Co. Sligo.

Ahead of the mass, players from Gorman’s beloved Sligo Rovers accompanied his cortege to the church and formed a line outside as his coffin was carried inside.

There were multiple references to the reporter’s passion for the team during the service that followed.

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Gorman chartered an impressive career spanning forty years at the national broadcaster, RTÉ, before his retirement in 2021. 

He is best known for his work as RTÉ’s Europe editor before moving to Belfast in 2001 where he covered Northern Irish politics. At the time of his retirement he was the broadcaster’s northern editor.

Gorman was remember at his funeral mass today as being a “unique force towards meditation and unity” and as someone who treated people with care and kindness.

“History will be pleased with the part that Tommy Gorman played,” chief celebrant, Reverend Christopher McCann told mourners. 

In a mass that was marked with many touches of warmth and humour, McCrann who was a long-time friend of Gorman joked that he would now be spared Gorman’s “never ending questions”.

“I won’t see him at mass here on Sunday,” he said.

“I won’t be ringing at his doorbell, and he won’t be ringing at mine. Above all, I won’t be able to tell him to stop bothering me with his never-ending questions.”

“Our community has lost a friend and a very, very good neighbor.

“All of us have gained because we have had the opportunity of being in some way big or small in contact with Tommy.

We have all gained a mentor whose life witness will continue to bear fruit in our lives. 

“He has in some way, given us all part of his life and left us part of it,” McCann said. 

He added that Gorman, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, was ill for a long time and suffered a lot “but he never allowed it to be his identity”.

“Instead, he embraced and endorsed the ongoing support for cancer patients here in Ireland and further afield. There are many people we know who are extremely grateful for his personal closeness to them,” McCann said. 

Gorman is survived by his wife Ceara and their two children Moya and Joe.

Gorman’s daughter Moya gave the first reading of the service while his widow Ceara, accompanied by her sisters, sang a song in tribute.

His son Joe delivered a tribute on behalf of the family as the service drew toward conclusion.

He said his father was brilliant at finding a connection with people.

“He found real joy in connecting with people and connecting deeply. It’s a great privilege that I don’t have to tell anybody here how much he cared about you – he said it to you,” Joe said.

Gorman’s funeral was attended by Taoiseach Simon Harris and First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill. 

Former Stormont first ministers Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster, former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst were also in attendance.

Earlier this week Harris described Gorman as having made an “incredible contribution not just to broadcasting, but indeed to peace on this island” thanks to his work covering the development of Northern Ireland after the Good Friday Agreement.

Apart from his political journalism, the versatile reporter also famously interviewed Roy Keane after the footballer’s row with manager Mick McCarthy at the Republic of Ireland team’s Japan 2002 World Cup training camp on the island of Saipan.

He also tracked down poet Seamus Heaney on a Greek island after he had won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

With reporting from Press Association.