The funeral mass of Martin O’Rourke has heard of a young father who was attempting to turn his life around for the sake of his family.
O’Rourke was gunned down in Dublin city centre last week in a case of mistaken identity.
Parish priest of the Travelling people Fr Derek Farrell said O’Rourke was “an innocent man, a homeless man, a man doing his best to overcome personal adversity, a family man, a daddy, a fiancé, a young 24 year old Traveller man.”
He added: “Martin had a tragic life, and a tragic death. While still in his teens he suffered the tragic loss of his brother Michael ‘Rocky’ and his mother Mary, and then his father Patrick ‘Podge’.
“Martin was a young man who had very little really in life, but who had life and had a loving fiancée, children and friends.”
In his homily at St Michan’s Church, Halston Street, Fr Farrell said the murder robbed O’Rourke’s family of a father and a husband-to-be.
“His fiancée’s husband-to-be has been taken. His children’s daddy has been taken. Many have said that Martin was at the ‘wrong place at wrong time’, but in the years ahead it will be important for his children to know that while he may have been at the wrong place, he was also on the right path. It will be important too, to hear and keep the family’s memories of the person they knew and loved.”
Fr Farrell said O’Rourke was proud to be a Traveller and proud of the community’s culture and traditions. “Martin was a proud young Traveller man, and he loved his Traveller culture and tradition. He loved cars, and he loved music. He himself was a beautiful singer.”
He added: “He was a devoted fiancé to Angeline, and a loving father to his three young children, Martin Lawrence, Michael, and Angela. He would always bring them back little gifts like chocolates when he had been out.”
Fr Farrell said O’Rourke, who had a history of drug use, was determined fulfil his role as a “daddy” to his children.
“Realising his role as ‘Daddy’, Martin was looking ahead - proud of how he was doing, he had just gone back to adult education, next week he was due to begin a drug rehabilitation course, which was leading to a FÁS course and then a job, and then his and Angeline’s planning for an apartment, a family holiday, and for the arrival of their fourth child,” Fr Farrell said.
Fr Farrell concluing by reading a poem written recently by O’Rourke to his deceased mother:
“‘Every day I bless your picture
It makes me feel ok, cause it feels like I’m with you
I miss you in heart and I miss you in my soul
I really miss you, I want to see your face
I want to feel your love and your warm embrace
.. I know I’m not there right now
But I know for a fact I’ll see you someday somehow
Remember the times.. You used to always laugh
and tell me how much U loved me
Every day I bless your picture .’”