WARM TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee at their funeral masses today.
Mourners gathered in Church of the King, in Aidan Moffitt’s home village of Lisacul, Co Roscommon while the family and friends of Michael Snee gathered in Saint Joseph’s Church in Ballytivan, Sligo.
Aidan and Michael were both allegedly murdered in Sligo last week - both of their bodies were discovered at their homes.
At both funerals the men were remembered as loving family members who enjoyed life and lived to the fullest.
At Aidan Moffitt’s requiem mass his friend Martin McMahon spoke of Aidan’s kindness and goodness to those he loved.
“He was an authentic gift to the world – Aidan made the world a better place for the people he cared for.
“There are so many words that can be used to describe Aidan: witty, considerate, intelligent, caring, fully engaged.
“He was a shrewd businessman and adored kindness. It was a genuine attribute of Aidan; his kindness was second to none,” he said.
Martin, in his address to the funeral, recalled the countless friends Aidan had and how he made pals across the country.
“Indeed, one of Aidan’s friends described him as one of the most personable humans he’d ever met, and said that he’d never met anyone like Aidan before.
“He would talk to anyone. And he had so many friends who are grieving today.
“Over his life he showed his love for his country. And he used politics as a mechanism to positively develop the lives of others. He held many voluntary positions in Fine Gael over the years.
“He wanted things to be better for people, and he wanted to get things done. And although he had many setbacks in the sphere, he persevered and devoted his time to this cause he held so dear,” he added.
Father Michael McManus recalled Aidan’s decency and his love for his family. As a friend of the family he also told stories of Aidan’s sense of humour.
“There’s no words to describe the indescribable grief that his death has caused his family and many friends. Words fail at this time. And yet, all we have is words to show our sorrow and our support.” he said.
At the funeral of Michael Snee, Father Noel Rooney said there was “much sadness in this church this afternoon”, as well as “grief” and “devastation”.
“But there is also much anger, and there is nothing wrong with that anger. We bring it all now and place it in the hands of our God.
“There is much healing required in our own lives and in our world.”
In his homily, the priest said there has been “great sadness” in the community over the last week “as we were devastated not by one but by two tragic and brutal murders”.
“That grief continues to pervade our community but especially it continues to pervade those who knew and loved Michael,” he said.
“That disbelief that it could happen continues.” Father Rooney said that “over the last few days, memories of Michael have been shared in laughter and in tears”.
“He was the quintessential gentle person. He was much-loved by all and had a heart filled with love.
“He was a sensitive man who couldn’t do enough for his family, friends and loved ones.
“These are the memories we should keep with us in the days and months ahead.“
“Michael was a porter in Cregg House and in Saint John’s Hospital. Many people have spoken to me of the beautiful way he had with those who lived in Cregg and Saint John’s.”
“This was Michael, the lovely, gentle, sensitive, compassionate person that he was.
“He was profoundly dapper and well-presented, always wore the very best and most expensive of clothes and shoes.
“As his sister Tina said, he aged gracefully and in many ways became better with age. His nephew Aaron remarked he was like a fine wine.”
The priest described Michael’s care for his dog Oscar, his love for holidaying abroad, and his “witty, dry, Sligo humour”.
“Michael was a family man. He had great love for his family and they shared a great love for him.”
For his Dad and for his sisters, he was “profoundly loving and good to them always”, and he had a “great love for his nephew and nieces, Aaron, Shannon and Sophie”.
“Let our memory be of Michael as a beautiful life filled with love and kindness and generosity,” Father Rooney said.
“We afford him dignity now by remembering his beautiful life, a life filled with love.”
Michael’s nephew Aaron told the congregation that Michael was a “a kind gentle soul” and “a true gentlemen”. As a child, “Michael was full of mischief but as the only boy he was the apple of his parents’ eye”, Aaron said.
“Michael loved travelling and visited many countries,” he said. “Anyone who ever visited Michael could see he was very proud of his pristine home.
“Michael loved to cook, and on the day that Michael was taken from us, he had cooked a beautiful meal for us.”
Aaron explained how “a lot of people have spoken of how Michael helped them in one way or the other,” whether it was at work or in the local community.
He described Michael as an “incredibly dedicated uncle” and said he and Michael’s nieces had many “fantastic memories” of travelling on holidays with him. Michael “loved a bit of craic and having a laugh”.
Aaron said the family is also thinking of Aidan Moffitt and his family, “who are in our thoughts and prayers today”.
He described the ways that Michael touched the lives of his family members and the special ways that each of them would miss him.
The Government was represented at both funerals by Aide de Camps from the Irish Defence Forces.
Bishop Kevin Doran, the Bishop of Elphin, was unable to attend and sent a message to both families.
Both men were laid to rest following requiem mass in cemeteries of their local communities.
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