Private Ben Garrett laid to rest with full military honours

THE business community of Castlebar closed their doors today as the remains of 21-year-old Breaffy man Ben Garrett were brought in a military cortege through the streets of the town to their last resting place in the New Cemetery.

As the lengthy cortege left the Church of the Holy Rosary in bright sunshine, an Army band played the ‘Dead March’ and the tramp of military boots echoed along footpaths lined with silent, respectful, mourners.

The young Army private’s coffin, draped in a Tricolour, was carried to the cemetery on the back of a military transporter.

Hundreds of Private Ben’s army colleagues, who are based in Galway City, marched in the funeral procession.

The Church of the Holy Rosary was filled to capacity for the concelebrated funeral Mass.

Some of the most senior officers in the Defence Forces attended to pay their last respects.

The list included included Major General Kevin Cotter, Deputy Chief of Staff (Support), Defence Forces, and Lt. Colonel Mary Carroll, officer commanding the 1st Battalion, Galway.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was represented by his aide de camp, Commandant Kieran Carey.

Chief Supt. Pat Diskin, head of the Mayo Garda Division, also attended.

The attendance at the funeral was swelled by hundreds of local mourners from the general Mayo area.

Before the remains left the church, Fr. Michael Murphy, at the request of Ben’s mother, Ann, and father, Martin, his sisters, Kayleigh, Shannon and Caoimhe, and foster sister Tanya Salas, read an eulogy they had written for their departed loved one.

In the message, the family commented that Ben had been many things, bouncy and fun loving, but the overwhelming attribute was his love of family.

The family, in their message, said Ben’s first wanted to be a jockey but later, throughout school, he had two ambitions - boxing and the army.

The Garretts went on to thank everybody who had assisted in the search for Ben and said that from now on life for them will never be the same.

“We will think of his laugher, his smile, his sense of devilment,' the eulogy continued adding: “Ben, you may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. Love always, mam and dad.'

Private Ben was a former member of Castlebar Boxing Club and, at the start of the Mass, a club official paid a tribute to the former club stalwart.