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Final farewells to a
"true Buncrana man"
08.04.08
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COUNCILLOR Philip
Diggin was a "true Buncrana man" who wanted to spend
his final days living among those he loved.
Those were the words of Fr. Carlo Centra who gave a
moving homily on Sunday during Requiem Mass for the
deceased councillor at St. Mary's Oratory in the
seaside town.
There was barely standing room in the chapel as
hundreds of people gathered to pay their last
respects to the much-loved public representative,
teacher and soccer-mad father-of-two, who was 51.
Fr. Centra, uncle of Cllr. Diggin's wife Paolo said
Philip was "the most truly Buncrana man" of all his
brothers - the other three having been schooled in
Derry.
"When Philip knew he wasn't going to make it, he
wanted to leave the hospice to be among his own
family and his own townsfolk," said Fr. Centra.
"It was a measure of the regard he had for the town
and his own people that he wanted to end his days
here among them." Fr. Centra said everyone felt
cheated by the death of one with so much more left
to give.
"We feel cheated because we know he had a lot more
to give in terms of his Council work, the education
of future generations and the good work he had yet
to do for the community here in the future." |
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Requiem Mass, with
poignant traditional music and hymns from Dinny
McLaughlin and friends, was celebrated by the late
councillor's brother Fr. Fintan Diggin, the parish
priest of Clonmany, who was assisted by local
priests. There was also a large congregation of more
than 20 priests from the Derry Diocese |
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and beyond in
attendance. Retired Bishop of Derry, Dr. Edward
Daly, who ordained Fr. Diggin in Buncrana in 1980,
was also present. Fr. Diggin said his brother had a
passionate love of football all his life, both as a
former player with Cockhill Celtic FC and as an avid
Man Utd fan. He said Philip was touched before his
death that Cockhill Celtic held a one-minute silent
tribute for him while he was in the hospice.
"There are a lot of good matches on the TV today and
if Philip wasn't here, he would be at home watching
them," quipped Fr. Diggin, to the amusement of the
congregation.
With the flag flying at half mast at the nearby
Buncrana Civic Offices, Buncrana Town Council was
represented at the funeral by Cllr. Diggin's
councillor colleagues, led by Town Mayor, Cllr. Paul
Bradley, who was also a close personal friend.
Inishowen councillors on Donegal County Council were
also there as were officials from the Buncrana local
authority and a number of their counterparts from
Lifford.
Cllr. Diggin was also a long-serving member of the
Donegal VEC and its members including chief
executive, Sean O Longain, were among the
congregation joining friends and colleagues from the
local Crana College and other local schools.
Chief mourners were his wife Paolo, sons Carlo and
Matthew, his mother Annie and brothers Stephen,
Fintan and Frank. He was laid to rest shortly
afterwards in Cockhill Cemetery. For pupils'
tributes click here
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