The death has occurred of:
Michael McKavanagh
McKavanagh Michael, (22nd July 1975 – 6th June 2025) Aghagallon and Granville, passed away suddenly at his residence in Granville, preceded by his beloved mother Cecelia, father Mark and sisters Róisín and Veronica. Michael’s sisters, brothers and entire family circle wish to thank all those who sympathised and comforted them during their recent bereavement. Michael was our families ray of sunshine, and he touched the hearts of everyone whom he met during his lifetime in a very special way; he was a beloved brother, brother-in-law, uncle, great uncle, nephew, cousin, and dear friend.
Sincere thanks to our relatives, friends, neighbours and the wider Aghagallon, Aghalee, and Granville community, our work colleagues, all who called or helped at the wake or brought food, those who sent sympathy or Mass cards, sent condolence messages via email, whatsapp, messenger, text message, posted online tributes, telephoned, or sent letters, attended the funeral and gathered along the funeral route, thanks especially to those who travelled long distances for Michael’s wake and funeral or watched the funeral via the webcam, particularly from Australia, Canada, England, Paris, USA and Wales. Thanks to those who sent floral arrangements or donated to Special Olympics Ulster in lieu of flowers.
We wish to acknowledge our sincere appreciation for the doctors, nurses, social care staff, physios, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, social workers, support workers, pharmacists and all of the members of the Adult Learning Disability Multi-Disciplinary Team, and the C.A.R.S. Team for their support given to Michael over many years, and especially to the advocates who ensured Michael’s needs and rights were respected. A special thanks to the caregivers, management, maintenance team and the cleaning personnel within the Supported Living Teams at Riverside, Lilburn Hall and Granville who looked after Michael during his time in supported living. To the educators and support workers in St. Patrick’s Primary School Aghagallon, Ceara School Lurgan, and Eden Social Education Centre Portadown we are grateful to you for providing Michael with the chance and the many opportunities afforded to him in helping him to develop, learn and grow in his own unique way.
Our deepest gratitude and thanks are reserved for the staff in Granville, who along with the blue light emergency services, the emergency dispatch call handler, and ambulance crews, all of whom tried so courageously to save Michael’s life. Our sincere thanks also to the police officers and representatives from Malcomsons who attended on behalf of the coroner’s office, we are especially thankful to the PSNI Duty Sergeant in Dungannon who in the proceeding days followed up for us with the coroner’s office to find out and let us know what was happening regarding the postmortem. We are so grateful to you all for the professionalism and support you gave to Michael and to our family once again when we found ourselves dealing with yet another heartbreaking and shocking family tragedy, having already lost both our mummy and sister within the space of the past 13 months, Thank You all for your service and assistance.
A special thanks to Fr. Eamonn McCamley from the Dungannon Parish who attended Granville on the morning Michael passed away and administered the last rites to Michael.
No amount of words will truly reflect the utmost gratitude and appreciation we have for our Parish Priest Fr. Declan Mulligan for caring for Michael’s spiritual needs with such compassion, in particular we are deeply indebted for the help and support that he gave to Michael when we had to break the sad news of our mummy’s recent passing to him and for all his assistance during Michael’s wake with his prayers and for presiding over and conducting the liturgy at Michael’s funeral Requiem Mass. We are also extremely thankful and grateful to Catherine in the Parish Office and Philip the Church Sacristan, for all their kind attentiveness and help as well as the altar servers and Eucharist Ministers for all their assistance given to us for Michael’s funeral.
Thanks to those who partook in the Mass, the readers and those who brought forward the symbols of Michael’s life. A particular thanks to Lauren McCrory and Rory Madden for sharing their gifted talents and providing the beautiful music to complement the Mass liturgy, Dorothy and Barry Arnold for providing the gorgeous family flowers, Patton Print especially Aileen McMullan for all her help printing the Mass booklets, Kieran Mulholland for preparing the family grave and Michael Mulholland and all the staff at the Derryhirk Inn for providing the catering after the funeral.
Once again, we are indebted and wish to sincerely thank Jack and Margaret and all the staff at Jack McLearnon and Son Funeral Directors for their dedication in providing the professional support, personal supervision, and service, that they gave to our family for Michael’s wake and funeral.
We wish to convey our deep gratitude and thanks to the staff in the Southern Health & Social Care Trust in both the Mental Health & Disability Department and the Craigavon Transport Department for the support they gave to our family members following Michael’s passing, to Maurice Flynn for his incredible kindness and generosity during Michael’s wake, also to St. Mary’s GAA Aghagallon, Ulster GAA, Ulster LGFA, Ulster Camogie, all the GAA County Boards in Ulster, GAA Handball and the wider National and overseas GAA family, and the IFA for offering support and comfort during our bereavement. The kind-heartedness of Fr. Brian D’Arcy and artists from the County Music scene has not been lost on our family and we are extremely overwhelmed by all your expressions of sympathy and comfort received since Michael’s passing for which we will be forever grateful.
Our brother Michael participated in numerous clubs and activities with many wonderful opportunities sporting, social, cultural, lifestyle and through Special Olympics being given to him, and our family would like to particularly thank all the volunteers and staff in these groups and organisations as we are tremendously thankful for all you did for our brother Michael during his lifetime. Your steadfast enthusiasm, hard work and dedication really made an incredible difference to Michael’s social inclusiveness and wellbeing. It takes a special kind of person to be caring, patient and sensitive to the needs of every individual, so thank you all for being that kind of person and serving the needs of the community and especially for having helped and supported our brother Michael.
As it would not be possible to thank you all personally, we hope you will accept this acknowledgement of our most sincere and humble thanks and appreciation for your support, caring and kindness during our time of grief.
The months mind Mass for Michael who is missed beyond measure, will be on Sunday 3rd August 2025 at 9am in St. Patrick’s Church, Aghagallon. Mass can be viewed on St. Patrick’s Aghagallon webcam: https://www.aghagallonandballinderryparish.ie/webcam/
In this life we were truly privileged and blessed to have Michael as our brother, may his beautiful soul now Rest in Peace, alongside our mummy Cecelia, daddy Mark, and sisters Róisín and Veronica. St. Michael the Archangel Pray for Him. Ceol na n-aingeal go gcloise sé agus leaba i measc na naomh go raibh aige anois.