Ryan Weir Gibbons' 'kindness and energy will never fade', funeral hears
Ryan Weir GibbonsRyan Weir Gibbons' "laughter, kindness and energy will never fade" from the hearts of his loved ones, his funeral Mass heard on Friday, as family told of his deep love for GAA and music.Mourners gathered at St. Brigid's Parish Church in Kildare for the funeral mass of the young man who sadly passed away in hospital on Thursday, October 30, after he was assaulted in the centre of Kildare Town in the early hours of Sunday, October 26. There were sombre scenes in the church on Friday morning as the 29-year-old was laid to rest, and family and friends arrived to pay their last respects to the late Mr Weir Gibbons.Some mementos from Ryan's life dear to him were brought forward as the mass began, including Ryan's wallet and phone, baseball cap, a can of Monster Energy drink, a Dublin GAA jersey, which reflected his love for Dublin GAA, a cigarette and lighter as Ryan "loved a sneaky smoke" and lastly a Dublin flag to show Ryan's "love" for his county. Following a solemn reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Romans and a reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark, a heartwarming homily was given for Ryan, praising the young man as a "lovely human being" who was taken "so long before his time"."Today is an especially sad day in our parish community as we come together in St. Brigid's Parish Church Kildare to mourn the tragic death of Ryan Weir Gibbons," Father Gerard Breen told the heartbroken church. "I know I speak for everyone in this large congregation today when I say to Ryan's parents and to his family that we're very, very sorry for your trouble."Our hearts go out to the family at this very sad time, and we sympathise with you deeply. At a time like this it's hard to know what to say, or to do. Right now inside the church we instinctively know what we ought to do, and that is to join together in praying for Ryan and for his bereaved family.""At 29 years of age, Ryan was a very young man still in the prime of life," he continued. "Therefore his tragic and untimely death is a terrible tragedy for his family and for his friends. The tragic nature of his death has left us all shocked and confused, we just can't get our heads around it."It's a shocking tragedy that such a lovely human being has been taken from us so young and so long before his time. Ryan has died in the fragrance of his youth; he will always be remembered as being young in our memories."Ryan's beloved cousin told mourners of his deep love of Dublin GAA, as well as how music played a part in his life. "Ryan was always a dedicated Gaelic fan, and his love for Dublin GAA never faded, despite moving to Kildare," Ryan's adoring cousin Molly told mourners in a lengthy and touching tribute."He loved wearing his jersey any chance that he got, particularly at matches in Croke Park with his dad, Eddie and his brother Andrew. Ryan often spoke about those special match days with his family. One of his favorites was the 2019 All-Ireland final, Dublin vs Kerry."Ryan stood proudly on Hill 16, cheering his beloved Dubs to victory. The joy on Ryan's face from that day is a memory his family will cherish forever."Music was also a huge part of Ryan's life, something he shared deeply with his dad, Eddie. They both had a love for dance and trance music, and would often send each other songs over WhatsApp late at night. It was their way of staying connected, sharing tracks and memories back and forth"."Ryan's memory will be cherished from his first words to his last," Molly added. "Though your time with us was far too short, your spirit and love will remain a source of comfort and strength for us all. Ryan, your laughter, kindness and energy will never fade from our hearts. We love you and will carry your memory with us always."Ryan's uncle also shared a poem penned for his nephew, read to the church as tears flowed for Ryan. "My dear nephew Ryan, whose friends called him Gibby. He danced through life, no time to rest, with Dublin blue upon his chest. A grin, a laugh, a heart so kind, no brighter soul you'll ever find."At 29, he lit the way with love and laughter every day. No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why. So raise a glass, don't mourn or cry, he's dancing still, just higher in the sky."Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
