Longford mourns Brian McGinnity: ‘A gifted young man gone too soon’

The Longford community have been plunged into mourning following the tragic passing of a “wonderful” young man who was tragically killed in a road traffic accident at the weekend.

A past pupil of Cistercian College in Roscrea, Brian McGinnity, of Cartron Big, Longford, was a passenger in a single-vehicle collision which occurred on the Cullyfad Road, Coolnahich shortly after midnight last Friday.

The driver, like Brian a man in his twenties, was taken to Mullingar Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Brian’s funeral mass takes place today (Wednesday) St Mel's Cathedral at 11am, followed by interment afterwards in Ballymacormack Cemetery and will be streamed live on www.longfordparish.com

In the wake of the much admired Longford man’s passing, tributes have flooded in from right across the wider community.

“What a fine young man, gone too soon,” wrote one mourner on RIP.ie.

“He will leave an enormous gap in the world. Always pleasant and knowledgeable.”

Another tribute alluded to Brian’s scholarly prowess which, following his Leaving Cert results in 2016 led to him securing an entrance scholarship to UCD.

“A great classmate, musician, academic and friend, he will be sorely missed by his class and the CCR community,” wrote a mourner.

Others, meanwhile, opted to refer to Brian’s pleasant and welcoming persona as a key member of staff in his family’s long established hardware store Providers.

“Rest in peace Brian, you were top class and will be sorely missed but never forgotten,” added one member of the public, while another told of how the “Longford community is fully with and supporting” of the McGinnity family.

As a mark of respect, the Richmond Street store closed its doors yesterday (Tuesday) and it will re-open tomorrow (Thursday).

The late Brian McGinnity is pre-deceased by his beloved mother Kathryn and by his grandparents Sean and Eileen Gallagher.

Brian will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his family, father Eoin, sisters Aileen, Katie and Jane, grandfather Eugene, grandmother Finola, aunt Lisa, uncles Colin and Stephen, relatives and many friends. May he Rest in Peace.