We, the family of the recently deceased Massie McAleer, wish to express our sincere gratitude to his friends, neighbours and entire community, for how they rallied around our family during this most difficult time.

To everyone who attended Massie’s wake and funeral, sent flowers, sent Mass cards and sympathy cards, sent messages via text and social media, thank you all.  To everyone who donated to Pomeroy Comhaltas in lieu of flowers, thank you. The link is still available on this page if you would like to donate.

Many of you kept Massie in your prayers upon hearing of his ill health, thank you, he was himself until the end and we know your prayers played a large part in that.

To Damien Gormley and the team at McAleer Medical Hall, at times you were more than a pharmacy for us, you were the support we needed.  To all the staff at Carrickmore Health Centre, receptionists, nurses, pharmacist and doctors, thank you, and to Termonmaguirc Camcer Patients Comfort Fund, such a fantastic charitable organisation on our back doorstep we are so grateful. 

Thank you to the district nurses, occupational therapists, Marie Curie team and a very special thank you to the hospice nurses Eilish and Leanne who supported not only Massie but also our family, your work is a vocation and you are both perfectly suited to it. Thank you to the community social services team, Cherith and all her colleagues who made sure Massie was very well taken care of at home.

We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who worked tirelessly providing refreshments during the wake, it was a monumentous task and we could not have managed it without you all.  You took care of everyone who came to pay their respects and of us as well, thank you.

For all the food that was delivered to our home, thanks to our friends at both Mace and at Nisa. To our friends and neighbours who brought food and kept us well-nourished during the wake and to many of you who kept us well fed in the weeks leading up to Massie’s passing, thank you.

To our friends who helped get the house ready in anticipation of what was inevitable, you know who you are, thank you.

Thank you to CK Marquees for the marquee and outdoor lighting they provided, keeping everyone warm and dry in the marquee and safe on the road.

So many of you gave up your time (and comfort) to drive buses, provide cones and safety lighting and manage traffic both in the chapel car park and at the house, thank you for making it possible for so many to come to Massie’s wake safely. Thank you to the Pomeroy Plunketts and to McCabe buses for providing the transportation.

Thank you to Aidan Molloy for capturing such beautiful photos to memorialise Massie’s funeral, we’ll turn to those in future days and draw comfort from them, great keepsakes for us.

To everyone who helped in the Hub, thank you for providing for us that safe space after Massie’s burial, so that we could unwind and relax as you rallied around us. Sincere thanks to Maria Corrigan, who seemed to never leave our sides over the duration of Massie’s wake and with her team, still managed to provide top class nourishment in the Hub.  Thank you to Cavanakeeran Community Centre for opening your doors to us for refreshments after Massie’s burial

Massie’s friends in the Pomeroy Accordion Band gave him such a great send off, he was undoubtedly watching from heaven tapping his toes, thank you all. 

To Flowers For All Occasions, thank you for providing floral arrangements, Stephen, you are a master of your craft.

To The Garden Path, how fortunate that you are just up the road and so intrical to Massie’s love of gardening.

Many of Massie’s friends and neighbours did double duty, whether bringing food and helping in the kitchen, helping in the Hub, parking cars or working in the graveyard, we are eternally grateful.

To Massie’s lifelong friend Peter Murphy, to John Donaghy and Meahal Harvey and to Alan Wray and Simon Marshall, you ensured Massie looked his best and was given a dignified send off, just as he deserved, thank you. To all Massie’s colleagues and friends in the Funeral Business, directors, grave-diggers and hearse drivers, thank you for your support.

To those who prepared Massie’s final resting place, John & Sean Rafferty & Gerard Beggs, we are sure Massie himself was pleased as he was keeping an eye from above.

Thank you to Gerry Loughran who provided the singing and music for Massie’s Requiem Mass, even going so far as to learn a new song in less than a day, Gerry thank you so much and to Massie’s childhood friend, Philly Begley you truly were “old friends” thank you. To Dervla Kelly who will sing at Massie’s months mind mass, once again thank you for learning a new song, we are grateful.

To Fr. David Moore who visited with Massie at home and for the personal Requiem Mass, you really got the essence of Massie in your homily and we know not only our family but our community appreciated it.  You gave us space to cry and to laugh, thank you.  To all the members of the clergy who attended Massie’s wake, con-celebrated Mass or attended his funeral, thank you.  

Most importantly, to Mairead Bann, Mairead Raff, Pauline Goodfellow and Emma O’Neill, thank you for making it possible for Massie to spend his final weeks at home, where he wanted to be, looking out the window over Cavanakeeran and Gortnagarn, keeping an eye to see who was coming up the lane.  We can never repay you, not only did you care for him, you kept him in craic and lifted his spirits, we sometimes even heard a wee song or two being sung.

A special thank you to our closest friends who propped us up, kept us close and helped us manage the final weeks, days, and the end of Massie’s life, once again, you know who you are, we thank God for you.

We know we are not alone in our grief; we know that you all find it as unbelievable as we do that someone such as Massie could ever leave this earth, we take comfort in sharing our grief with you all.

As much as we hope to have mentioned here everyone who came to our aid, we are sure to have missed a few.  We hope this acknowledgement will serve as a small token of our appreciation to you all.

Massie’s months mind Mass will be held in The Church of the Assumption on Saturday September 30^th at 7pm.