By Damian McCarney
damian.mccarney@meathpost.com

An Ashbourne man who died tragically over the Christmas period was
described as “big hearted” at his funeral last Thursday (10th
January).

Barry Maguire, from Deerpark, died on St Stephen’s Day after he was
stabbed in the Milltown estate in his hometown of Ashbourne.
No one has been arrested or charged for the 23-year-old carpenter’s
murder, which happened in Milltown Estate in the early hours of St
Stephen’s Day.

Mourners spilled out onto the street outside the Church of the
Immaculate Conception on Thursday to pay their respects to the
grieving Maguire family.

The funeral had been delayed because the State Pathologist Dr Marie
Cassidy was not available to carry out the autopsy.

Remarking on the community’s huge outpouring of grief, Fr Derek Darby,
who celebrated the Mass, said that their presence at the funeral would
give, “great comfort and reassurance to Barry’s family.”

In the moving funeral Mass, friend of the family, Fergus Harmon,
recalled Barry’s interests and stories about the popular youth as
family members and friends of the deceased brought up the Offertory
gifts.

Fr Darby said Barry’s had been fondly remembered in the weeks after his death.
“He was described by family and friends as someone with a big heart,”
said Fr Darby.

“He had a genuine interest in people’s welfare. He was enthusiastic,
never without a smile and very loving.

“His years of life, short as they were, only 23, allowed him to mature
and that maturity was evident in how seriously he took his
responsibility as a Godparent,” said Fr Darby referring to Barry
standing for his friend’s son Tadh before Christmas and attending
Christmas Day Mass in Ashbourne with Tadh with “baby wipes in his
pocket, just in case.”

Barry had a promising future ahead of him in his chosen career of
carpentry having graduated last November, and he had plans to travel.
Fr Maguire said that the most important thing in his life was his
family.

“We have to remember that we are here today not because Barry did
anything wrong, but because of his loyalty to his friends,” said Fr
Darby.

“Barry’s untimely and tragic death, like so many others in recent
times, and especially over Christmas, has to prompt within us an
evaluation of our own attitudes to life,” he continued.

Hundreds of mourners formed the funeral procession to the nearby New
Cemetery, for the burial.

Barry is survived by his mother Stephanie, his brother Stephen,
sisters Sarah and Roberta, niece Sophie, nephew Ryan and Godson Tadg.