'Decent family man' recalled as murder victim buried

HE WAS, in the words of the poem read at his funeral, “the man behind the bar”.

Matt Farrell was fond of reciting the words about the barman who worked all the hours and “treated the workman in his overalls and the bank man dressed in style” both the same.

He especially like to recite it on Sunday nights in the Gaelic Bar when he had music in.

The poem was read by Joe Stapleton, the son of Mr Farrell’s barmaid Catherine Stapleton and the last person to see him alive.

Mr Stapleton broke down and Mr Farrell’s son David finished it with the words: “When St Peter sees him coming, he’ll keep the door ajar, for he knows he has had his hell on earth, the man behind the bar.”

The Church of Mary Mother of God in Daingean, Co Offaly, was full for the funeral Mass of Mr Farrell (64) who died from a blow to the head after being tied up by raiders in the early hours of last Wednesday morning.

Hundreds more had paid their respects on Tuesday night, turning out in atrocious conditions for the removal.

Mr Farrell’s family, his wife Mary and daughter Natalie, and his four children from his first marriage, Matthew jnr, David, Lorraine and Michelle, were the chief mourners. His first wife Loretta, who died several years ago, was remembered in the prayers of the faithful.

Matthew jnr contrasted how Mr Farrell had died with the way he had lived his life.

He described his father as a jolly, happy man who loved a joke and a sing-song and who disliked EastEnders and Coronation Street because “there was nothing but fighting and arguing in them”.

He was a “loving and kind father with a heart of gold” and a “good and decent family man dearly loved by all” who was well-liked by his former colleagues in Bord na Móna where he had worked as a mechanic and by those who came to his pub.

The brutality of his death was “something you look at on the news every day, but never think it could happen in your own family and community”.

Former parish priest Fr Paddy O’Byrne expressed the same sentiments. In his homily he said Mr Farrell’s death had been a source of “shock, disappointment and sorrow” for local people.

“People found it hard to accept it. We hear about these things. We read about them in other places, but we always feel they would never appear at our own doorstep,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it did land at our own doorstep bringing great shock and sadness to the whole community and particularly the Farrell family, the fact that a local man had been so brutally done to death.”

Fr O’Byrne appealed to the community to come forward and help gardaí with their investigations while Mr Farrell praised gardaí for their efforts to catch his father’s killer.

“They have given so much time and resources working on this case and they are determined not to stop until they find the people responsible for this crime,” he said.

Among the congregation were two senior gardaí Chief Supt Frank Moore and Insp Joe Prendergast, both based in Tullamore, where the investigation is taking place.

The Taoiseach’s aide-de-camp Comdt Michael Tracey represented the Taoiseach Brian Cowen who is the local TD.

Gardaí have carried out extensive forensic tests on Mr Farrell’s pub. They are working on the theory that mobile gangs, which have targeted premises outside the Dublin area, are the chief suspects in the case.

Members of Daingean GAA club formed a guard of honour as Mr Farrell’s coffin was brought past his pub to its final resting place in Daingean cemetery.