'He so loved life' - Tributes heard at funeral of boy killed in Donegal hit and run

Ronan Wilson has been remembered at his Funeral Mass as a boy who loved life, loved football and lorries, was kind to his classmates, and was loved by all who knew him.

Ronan's white coffin arriving at St Mary’s Church, Dunamore was a heart-breaking sight. So too that of his young Kildress Wolfe Tones clubmates and St Mary’s classmates paying their own tribute to the nine-year-old who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run collision in Bundoran on Saturday, September 23. 

The church overflowed with mourners for the Funeral Mass at 12 noon on Thursday, with countless more watching online.

Fr Paddy Hughes offered prayers and condolences to Ronan’s grieving parents, Emma and Dean, his brother Callum and sister Amy, his grandfathers Pat and Paul, his grandmother Imelda, his aunt Shannon and his uncles Shane, Martin Stephen and Lee, all of his cousins, his friends, his classmates, football colleagues, teachers and all the management and staff of Kildress Wolfe Tones.

He said: “Nine years ago I baptised Ronan in this church. Over a year and a half ago I celebrated his First Communion Mass so it's very hard to comprehend, to understand, that we are gathered here today to offer this Funeral Mass to celebrate his short life and to give thanks to God for that life, for his love and his affection.”

The service began with a procession of mementos being brought to the altar. 

Fr Hughes said: “They are gifts that represent Ronan in his short life, things like his Scania coat, his Prime water bottle, a phone, his Tang hoodie, a football. 

“There's pictures, family pictures of happier times together on holidays, a picture of his First Communion day, there's a wee lorry to represent his love of lorries, the school jersey, the Tyrone jersey, his Xbox controller, sunglasses, a spray gun,his football boots, an elephant teddy. 

“There are other items of photographs and memorabilia that represent Ronan's short life on Earth.”

In his homily, Fr Hughes recalled that only ten days earlier, Ronan had carried a football to the altar during a Mass to celebrate the start of the school year at St Mary’s Primary School.

“He was so proud and wore a great smile as he came up the aisle to present the football to me,” said the celebrant,

“And as he handed me the football, I said to him, ‘Can you play football?’ and the smile got even bigger.

“Seeing Ronan in and around the school, I would have never had to ask who he was, for he was the double of his Daddy.

“The carrying of the football summed up so much of his character in life - the smile, the sense of boyish fun.

“He so loved life. He loved football. He was so proud to get Man of the Match last year, the medals that were brought up today.

“He just loved being around the Kildress Wolfe Tones field, whether he was playing himself or watching a match, or training.”

Fr Hughes said that Ronan followed in his father’s footsteps in their many shared interests. “Lorries, cars quads were all important to him, as well as a horse,” he said, adding that Ronan spent a lot of time around the family’s car wash and chip van and could chat to anyone. 

The priest recalled that at school, Ronan mixed well with his class and was kind and helpful to other children.

He spoke of the shrine to Ronan at the Wilson home, displaying photographs of happy times such as family holidays, Ronan’s First Holy Communion and football.

Fr Hughes added: “The mementos brought up at the beginning of Mass were very much part of that shrine. It just shows that in his short life he'd been involved in a lot of activities and touched the hearts of so many people, young and old.

“No greater tribute was paid to Ronan than that from his father and mother, brother and sister on social media, a tribute to a much loved son as they tried to put into words the terrible loss that had come into their lives with his death.”

The priest told those gathered that the entire parish had been stunned by news of the hit-and-run collision that claimed Ronan’s life the previous Saturday evening. 

“One of the sentences you hear a lot is ‘What can you say?’” said Fr Hughes. 

“Indeed, what can any of us say to take away or ease the terrible pain of loss for the Wilsons?

“When words fail us, our presence, just being there, speaks volumes.”

On behalf of Ronan’s family, Fr Hughes thanked everyone who had supported the family since the tragedy on Saturday night.

He also thanked Ronan’s clubmates and classmates, and everyone who had participated in the service or assisted in its preparation.

Members of the emergency services and all who had assisted the family in the aftermath of the collision were remembered in the Prayers of the Faithful.

Following the Mass, Ronan was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.