Family and friends say goodbye to heroic firefighter

FIREFIGHTER Mark O’Shaughnessy used to jump out of his seat like a bullet, like Batman when his beeper went off, mourners at the Bray man’s funeral were told yesterday.

Hundreds of firefighters turned out at the Church of Our Lady’s Queen of Peace in Bray for the funeral Mass of the 26-year-old, who died along with colleague Brian Murray while both were putting out a fire at disused factory in the Wicklow town last week.

During emotional moments yesterday, friends and family told the packed church about their fondest memories of Mr O’Shaughnessy. Local curate Fr Finbarr Millane reminded mourners of the large granite cross on Bray Head behind the church, a stark reminder of their faith and the death of Jesus Christ. He added: “A tragic, a very severe cross came upon all in Bray last Wednesday, at midday. A great tragedy, unexpected, hard to believe. Suddenly, quickly, two young men lost their lives.”