Community mourns at requiem for Curragh couple

TEARS flowed freely among mourners yesterday at the funeral mass of the young Kildare couple killed tragically in a house fire in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Seven-year-old Devon Martin sobbed quietly as he followed the coffin of his father Darren Hanly out of the St Brigid’s Church in the Curragh Camp.

The little boy was comforted by relatives as he looked on in bewilderment at two hearses parked outside the church. Fighting back the tears, Devon placed two red roses at the back of his father’s hearse, which was already adorned with wreaths forming the words “Dad” and “Brother”.

He was joined by hundreds of local people who turned out to pay their respects at the requiem mass for Darren, 23, and his partner, Amanda Murphy, 21.

The couple’s two young children — three-year-old Tearnán and eight-week-old Cayden — who escaped the fire as they spent the night with Darren’s parents were not at the ceremony.

The close-knit community with its strong military association remained in shock as it gathered to bury the popular couple, well- known in the area around the Curragh.

The ex-soldier and his teenage sweetheart were overcome by fumes when their house caught fire on January 1, shortly after they returned home from New Year celebrations.

Their home at Art McMurrough Hill lies just over 100 metres from the church where they both were baptised. The house is also just a short distance from the local fire station, whose officers were first to arrive at the scene of the blaze five days ago.

Devon, who was Darren’s son from an earlier relationship, helped to carry a Liverpool jersey to the altar as an offertory gift in memory of his father.

Individual portrait photos of the young couple were placed on their coffins, which were positioned alongside each other at the front of the church.

Among the large attendance were dozens of soldiers in military dress from the nearby camp, some friends of Darren from when he served with Defence Forces, before leaving to take up a job in construction in 2005.

The Hanly family have a long military association. Darren’s father, Harry, is a serving member of the 1st Armoured Car Squadron, based at the Curragh. His uncles David and William are also members of the Defence Forces.

Military chaplain and local priest Fr PJ McEvoy said it was a very sad time for everyone who had known and loved both Amanda and Darren.