‘Thank you for not giving up on my husband’

The wife of a mine worker killed in an underground rockfall wept yesterday as she thanked the emergency services for ensuring her husband’s remains were recovered from the mine.

“Thank you for not giving up on him,” My-Ann Francis said at the funeral Mass for her husband Mario Francis, 49, who died while driving a loader truck in a mine shaft at Lisheen Mine near Moyne in Co Tipperary last Thursday.

Hundreds of local people, along with dozens from the Filipino community in Ireland, gathered at the Church of the Assumption in Mario’s adopted home town of Urlingford to celebrate the popular father’s life and say their final goodbyes.

Following the funeral Mass, his remains were due to be flown back to his native Philippines early this morning for burial.

Leading the mourners yesterday were his wife My-Ann and their sons Jomar, 9, and Jolrem, 5, while prayers were also said for his children back in The Philippines, Julemar, 22, and Mario Jr, 19.

The significant Filipino presence sang hymns, both in English and their native Cebuano language, during a moving ceremony which saw the Irish and Filipino communities coming together both to mourn and celebrate. Before the Mass, colleagues wearing full mining gear including helmets and lamps provided a guard of honour for Mario’s coffin as it was brought from his home in nearby Chapel Field to the church. Afterwards, the coffin remained in the church ahead of the final journey back to Mario and My-Ann’s homeland.

Addressing the congregation towards the end of the Mass, My-Ann thanked his co-workers, Lisheen mine management, local people and the Filipino community for their support in recent days and broke down as she thanked her late husband for the happy memories from their 11 years of marriage.

“Mario you were a good husband to me, also a loving and caring man, a good provider and supportive father to your four children. Thank you, Mario, for the love you have given to me and to your children. I will cherish this forever in my heart, thank you for the time you have spent with us.”

Because of the instability of the mine shaft where he was working after the rockfall, it took more than two days for the emergency services and mine rescue workers to recover Mario’s body and bring it to the surface. My-Ann expressed her gratitude to all involved in the recovery process and to all her husband’s colleagues and management, as well as everyone who offered their help in recent days. “No words can express how much this meant to us.”

Among the clergy joining chief celebrant, Fr Billy Carrigan from Jenkinstown in Co Kilkenny, who is a friend of the family, were local priests Canon Laurence Dunphy and Fr Oliver Maher; Fr Rene Esoy, originally from The Philippines but now based in Dublin; and Fr Pat O’Connell who is chaplain to the Filipino community in Ireland.

Fr Carrigan recalled how, just days before the tragedy that claimed Mario’s life, the Francis family attended a special Mass on Easter Sunday in Jenkinstown, along with other people from The Philippines now living in Co Kilkenny. After Easter Sunday, the next time he saw Mario was as his friend lay in a coffin: “In such a short time, such a mighty change.”

It was obvious to anyone who knew him how much he was devoted to his family and how hard-working and decent Mario was, Fr Carrigan said. “You would see the big smile first and then you would see Mario coming after it.”

Managing director of Lisheen Mine, John Elmes, also spoke at the Mass and thanked all who supported the family and Mario’s friends and colleagues, along with the emergency services, as well as describing how “inspirational” it was to see how much support was given to the family by the Filipino community.

“We can learn so much from you, we are greatly humbled,” he said. “Mario was a fine human being, a wonderful colleague, a fallen colleague and we’re going to dearly miss him.”