Aodhan Gillen funeral: Father of Irish League player killed in car crash tells mourners they talked about him getting into heaven just months before accident

Aodhan Gillen's erstwhile team-mates were among those at the chapel in Glengormley, Newtownabbey, today (Easter Monday) to bid farewell to their former comrade.

He had made a stellar contribution to north Belfast side Newington before moving to Irish premiership squad Carrick Rangers in summer 2022, then in January this year he moved to east Belfast squad Dundela in the league below.

He was hit by a grey VW Tiguan in the Scullions Road area of Mallusk, Newtownabbey, on March 14, and then died last Thursday in hospital.

His father Michael told mourners at St Bernard’s chapel that his son had been a devout boy who wore a holy bracelet and had kept a shrine in his room.

Aodhan had been "talented, dedicated, humble, sincere, and loving" he said, and recalled a recent conversation the two had about life and death.

“It went something like this,” said dad Michael.

"I asked him a number of questions. I said: ‘Where do you want to be in five years?’ He said: ‘Successful in my football career, of course dad’.

"Where do you want to be in 30 years? He said: ‘Retired, family of my own, married with kids’.”

Michael then asked his son where he wanted to be in 70 years.

"Dad, what do you mean?”, Aodhan had replied. “I'll be dead.”

His father told him: “Do you not want to be in heaven? What are you gonna do to prepare to be in heaven? What are you going to do for yourself to get there?”

A couple of days later, Aodhan told him: “Dad, I've been thinking about our conversation the other day. You’re right: I've recently been planning a summer holiday with friends, thinking about clothes, saving up money, flights.

"But like many others I suppose what I haven't been doing is preparing for the most important journey of my life: getting to heaven. So I'll try harder dad.”

Meanwhile, priest Aidan Kerr told mourners all about Aodhan’s background.

Born in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, schooled in Carrick and then later at Edmund Rice College in Glengormley, Aodhan had an HND in film and editing, and had worked at The Range shopping centre in Glengormley.

Fr Kerr said his football career began at the age of seven at Cliftonville Academy, followed by Man United's School of Excellence for four years.

He then spent time with Ballymena United and Linfield before being signed to Newington.

It was at this latter club that he scored the winning goal in the 2021 Steele and Sons Cup final against Linfield Swifts, held each year on Christmas Day.

He was "man for all seasons," said Fr Kerr, “considerate caring faithful kind… and though he was by nature quiet, once he started karaoke I understand he had everyone on the tables singing Coldplay's Viva La Vida - his favourite song".

The priest added: “It's a fact that very few 22 year olds have packed so much greatness into their short lives as Aodhan Gillen has achieved…

"I can't imagine Aodhan GIllen being ‘eternally at rest’.

"But fully alive? That's a very different story.”

Aodhan Gillen is survived by parents Margaret and Michael, and siblings Cian and Corin.

His death is not the first tragedy to hit Carrick Rangers in recent years.

In 2019, 24-year-old player Jerry Thompson killed himself.

In the same year former player Stuart Hilditch, aged in his 30s and son of long time senior club official Davy Hilditch, died of cancer.

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