"We gather as a broken people with very heavy hearts," said Father Michael Carney, parish priest, at the start of the mass.

John, age 55, and Sean, age 24, died at the scene of the two-vehicle collision on the main Derry to Letterkenny Road at about 10.10 am on Saturday. The two men were returning to Donegal after bringing Sean's girlfriend to City of Derry Airport.

John's widow, Hillary (nee McFadden), and daughters Aisling, age 22, Aoife, age 18, and Eilish, age 14, led the hundreds of mourners who followed the two hearses to the church. John is also survived by his sister Mary Rodgers of Ballintra, Arranmore Island, his sister Elizabeth and extended family.

Addressing the men's family and loved ones, Father Carney said the congregation offered their sympathy and prayers to the family and to Sean's girlfriend, Lauren Proctor, and her family. Lauren's father, Michael Proctor, is also from Arranmore.

"On behalf of all of us, our prayers and our love are with you," Father Carney said. "We pray for John and Sean, and we also pray for you."

John lived his life for his family, a life of love, care, generosity and warm-heartedness, Father Carney said. He was "a quiet, unassuming, gentle man" who was always doing a good turn for someone, he said. "That was a hallmark of a life lived for people, for his neighbourhood and for his community."
And the bond between father and son was strong. "The characteristics of the father are often in the son," he said, calling Sean "a decent, caring and loving man."
The crowds inside and outside the church represented the network of communities and lives the men had touched, "all those things they contributed to in so many ways," Father Carney said. People came from long distances, as well as from Ramelton and Arranmore. Others at the mass were involved in the many community groups that the father and son had supported. One of those groups was the Pantomime Society and the local panto, set for later this month, has been postponed in their memory.
John and Sean had a generosity of spirit evidenced through their involvement in community and charity events, Father Carney said. And both men will be appreciated far beyond their circle of family and friends. John was a painter and decorator and was also involved in the local community centre and the Lennon Festival. Sean worked in James Johnston's in Letterkenny and was studying sports and leisure at Errigal College in Letterkenny. He was also involved in kick-boxing and taught physical education at Scoil Mhuire in Ramelton, where he himself had been a student. As a tribute to Sean, the pupils of Scoil Mhuire will release balloons at 11 am on Friday on the school grounds.

Tribute
Staff and pupils of the school wrote a tribute to Sean that Father Cleary read at the end of the mass. "We all loved to see the tall, lanky lad with the mop of curly hair coming over the hill on Friday morning," they said. "His cheerful disposition and caring nature made him popular with both pupils and staff alike."

The priest remarked on "the deathly silence" along the street when John and Sean were "brought back to home and hearth," as family and friends tried to deal with the tragedy that had befallen the Gallaghers, the parish and the community. For the hundreds of people who visited the family home, "Tears expressed what words failed," Father Carney said. "All we could do is be there."

At the same time, he said the presence of mourners in such vast numbers on Tuesday was an important sign of the community's desire to be there in solidarity with the family.

Father Carney was joined on the altar by Father Michael Porter from Burt; Father John Joe Duffy from Arranmore; Father Martin Collum from Rathmullan, Father Desmond Sweeney, Ramelton pastor emeritus; and Ramelton natives Monsignor Anthony McDaid, who is now based in Rome, and Father Declan Boyce, who is now in Ballyshannon. The Scoil Mhuire Children's Choir and St. Mary's Choir, under the direction of Peg McFadden, sang for the mass.