Co Down Carlingford crash victims expected to be buried side-by-side

A victim of Monday’s double fatal crash near Carlingford has been dubbed a “big personality with a huge heart”.
Martin Patterson's funeral will be on SaturdayMartin Patterson's funeral will be on Saturday
Martin Patterson's funeral will be on Saturday

It is expected the funerals of close Co Down friends Martin Patterson and Shane McAnallen will take place separately before they are interred in the same graveyard – St Patrick’s in Bryansford.

Both died after the crash just after midnight on Monday – which is being probed to see if Gardai contributed to it.

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According to Paul McEvoy Funeral Directors, Mr Patterson’s funeral has been set for noon on Saturday in St Patrick’s chapel, Bryansford.

While no definite times had been agreed for Mr McAnallen’s funeral at time of writing, it is likely to be on Saturday in St Malachy’s chapel in Castlewellan, Father Denis McKinlay indicated today.

It is thought the families are considering having them buried side by side.

Mr Patterson, one of three children, was understood to be 20 and from Bryansford, and was said to have done building and groundwork.

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He had taken part in two 10-day trips to Romania in 2017 and ‘18 with cross-denominational Christian group Exodus.

Organiser Bob McClughan, 28 and from Banbridge, said these involved things like giving out food parcels and doing repairs and groundwork for isolated or impoverished people in the Transylvania region.

“It was life-changing for him,” said Mr McClughan, adding Mr Patterson had thought intently about his relationship with God.

“He had a big frame and a big personality, and a huge heart. He loved people so much.

“I’d have kept him going about being a big bear of a man.

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“But the reality is he was much more like a gummy bear than a bear with claws.

“He was such a soft-hearted, loving, big man. We’re all just devastated to lose him like this.”

Father Denis McKinlay, of St Malachy’s, said that for Mr McAnallen “cars were his passion”.

It is believed he had two sisters, was in his mid-20s, from the Newcastle area, and worked for a local food firm.

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The priest said just the morning before the crash Mr McAnallen’s father got in touch to arrange a memorial mass for his own parents, who had died within months of each other a year or so ago.

He added the family are “being very stoical, bearing up as well as can be expected”.

The fatal crash came almost exactly 24 hours after 30-year-old Ruth Maguire disappeared from a hen party in Carlingford .

Her body was later found at a rocky patch called Blockhouse Island in the middle of the lough.

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She lived in Newcastle and had coached at Bryansford GAA club, where the two crash victims used to play.

Gardai said: “These incidents are not believed to be linked.”

A mother of three, her funeral will be at St Vincent de Paul Church at 9am on Saturday, with burial at Carnmoney Cemetery.

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