Thousands pay respects at funeral of second firefighter

They needed a fire truck to carry all the flowers. There wasn't an inch of room on the special appliance fire truck with its hydraulic platform as it led the funeral cortege through the streets of Bray.

Another fire truck followed, and then the massed ranks of hundreds of retained firefighters from every county in the country, led by retired firefighter Jim Haugh.

A fire service support vehicle pulled the carriage carrying the coffin of sub-officer Brian Murray to the Church of the Holy Redeemer on Main Street.

This was the second funeral in as many days, following the deaths of firefighters Mr Murray (46) and Mark O'Shaughnessy (25) in a fire at a disused factory outside the town. And for the second time in as many days, local people turned out in their thousands for the service.

Mr Murray's son Darren's fifth battalion, based at McKee Barracks, formed a guard of honour as Mr Murray's coffin was carried into the church by his fellow Bray firefighters. It was a funeral service with an unconventional soundtrack. One number by U2 was played as an entrance hymn; an instrumental version of Eminem's Lose Yourself was played in memory of Mr Murray's daughter, Zoe Jade, who predeceased him, and the Snow Patrol song Chasing Cars accompanied the offertory procession.

The mourners were led by Mr Murray's wife, Mary, and their 14 surviving children, grandchildren and his brothers and sisters.

The Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, the Minister for European Affairs, Dick Roche, Labour Party deputy leader Liz McManus and Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy attended. The Taoiseach was represented by his aide-de-camp, Capt Mick Treacy, while the President was represented by Capt Niamh O'Mahoney.

Celebrant Fr George Begley said the tragedy of their deaths had touched not only friends, family and local people but the "whole country".

He described Mr Murray as a man who "lived for his family and loved them to bits", and who was more a friend to his children than a stern father. He was a "real gentleman who loved a joke and a laugh" and who used his building skills to help the local community in such places as the local fire station and Bray Wanderers.

Mr Murray's daughter, Joanne, read the fireman's prayer, which had also been read at the funeral of Mr O'Shaughnessy, and ends with the refrain: "And if, according to your will, I have to lose my life, please bless with your protecting hand, my children and my wife."

Mr Murray's brother, Noel, read the poem made popular after September 11th, What is a Fireman, which speaks of the "camaraderie of brave men" and the "divine peace and selfless service of a job well done in the name of all men". The Pipes and Drums Marching Band of Dublin Fire Brigade played Amazing Grace as the funeral Mass ended, and then a lone piper intoned Steal Away as the coffin was taken to Springfield Cemetery outside the town.