Funeral for Rocky Rafferty led by priest from accident scene

Mr Rafferty, aged 41 and known as ‘Rocky’, died after a single-vehicle collision on the Tullyvar Road outside Aughnacloy at around 8.30pm on Saturday.

His funeral mass was at the Church of St John the Baptist in Galbally, south-east Tyrone, at 11am, and he was buried afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Taking the mass was Father Gerard McAleer, who had been called to the scene of the accident on Saturday.

Such an incident is “traumatic at any time” he said, adding that it was made even more so by the fact “it’s one of our own parishioners”.

Fr McAleer said that Rocky’s own father, John, had also died in a road accident in the region eight years earlier.

There was a “very large crowd of family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues” at the mass, he added; among them his children Ciaran, Shauna, Kevin and PJ.

Among the readings was Ecclesiastes 3, which reflects on the notion that there is “a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die.”

He said that sympathies were extended to his family, and prayers said for “the happy repose of his soul, and for the healing of broken hearts”.