A young man killed in a tragic road crash in Co Donegal last weekend had applied to become a member of the fire service such was his desire to help others, his funeral mass heard today.
Jamie Diver, who was in his early 20s, died following a road tragedy in the gaeltacht village of Gortahork on Friday night last.
Jamie was one of two young men killed when the Suzuki Liana car they were driving in struck the gable wall of a house at Baltoney just before 9.30pm on Friday night last.
His friend Shaun McClafferty, who was also in the car, will be laid to rest following his funeral mass in the same church tomorrow (Thursday).
Two more of their friends, Josh Montgomery Scanlon and Darragh Lynch, are still in hospital recovering from their injuries.
Hundreds of mourners from Gortahork and the surrounding parishes gathered in the Christ the King Church to say a final farewell to the young man known to his friend as ‘Slicks.’
Jamie Diver RIP.
Among them were Jamie’s parents Róise and Damien, his brothers Ryan – and partner Niamh – and Keith, his nephew Charlie, his uncle Kevin and wife Amanda, his cousins Eibhlin and Neil, and a circle of friends.
A line of young men in starched white shirts and black ties sat side-by-side, wiping tears from their eyes as they coped with the sudden loss of their dear friend.
Jamie was predeceased by his grandparents Jimmy and Rose McGee and Nora Diver.
Mourners heard how the quiet-spoken young man had also recently set up his own car valeting service and had no time for girlfriends out of work.
Fr O’Baoill said that stories of those from Jamie’s work and short life brought up memories of “beautiful things”.
“I’ve heard that he always wanted to help others, he wished to be a firefighter, in other words, he wanted to save others,” Fr O’Baoill said.
“He never refused anybody any help that he could give with regards to buffing cars or fixing cars.
“Even that unfortunate night, a few nights ago, it was probable they were fixing or trying out some fault in the car.”
Jamie took immense pride in his work with Ciaran Gallagher at Errigal Motors and also ran his own business from Baltoney.
“They tell me he was a bit of a perfectionist. That was his motto, if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well,” said Fr O’Baoill.
Jamie’s lifelong passion for cars began in his school years, and during transition year at PCC Falcarragh, a valeting course in Letterkenny sparked a deeper interest in all things cars. Polishing, bodywork and mechanics became his passion.
The community has been at a loss for words following Friday’s tragedy, he added.
“Why does God allow these things? We don’t know,” said Fr O’Baoill.
“What can we learn about these things, is there any positive?
“There are good things that come from it. It tells us how fragile we are.”
Fr O’Baoill reflected on the six year anniversary of the fatal crash in Magheraroarty, in which four young local men lost their lives.
He said they were ‘fine lads’, as were Jamie and Sean Martin.
“Our young people are the most important riches that any community has, there is nothing to compare them. They are our future,” Fr O’Baoill said.
“If you have left us anything, Jamie, you have told us in plain language that we are very frail, very fragile and we need someone’s protection. Above all, we need God’s protection.”
Friends of Jamie’s brought symbols to the altar celebrating his life and work – a hat from the Errigal Motors dealership where he worked, a tea cup, a spanner and a buffer symbolising his passion for cars and mechanics.
Jamie’s friends lined up their cars outside the church to say a final farewell to popular young Gortahork man. Pic by Northwest Newspix.
Jamie’s remains were carried from the church to the adjoining cemetery where he was laid to rest.
As his coffin left the church to emerge into the grey Ash Wednesday skyline over this proud gaeltacht village, mourners were met by a line of cars parked opposite Christ the King Church.
Side-by-side they lined up with one cleaner than the next. Lexus. Ford. Toyota. BMW.
Each had a personalised license plate with the words ‘Remembering Slicks’ in honour of their late friend.
The same group of friends and the same beloved cars will gather at the same church again tomorrow when the community will once again join together in mourning.
This time they will remember and celebrate the memory of Shaun McClafferty – another young person to tragically lose their life on the roads of Donegal.
