The late Raymond McCarthy Raymond Anthony McCarthy 24th October 1980 - 24th December 2005 "A tsunami hit the McCarthy Family on Christmas Eve" - the words of Fr Walsh fell through the silence of the many hundreds of people gathered at the funeral of Raymond Anthony McCarthy on 28th December 2005 at the St Fachtna's Church, Rosscarbery. Raymond, was born on 24th October 1980, the last of five children to Donal and Pauline McCarthy, Caherbeg, Rosscarbery. He grew up and lived his entire life in Caherbeg, attending Ardagh Boys' Primary School and then on to Mount St Michael's school, Rosscarbery. During school Raymond was a popular student. He was industrious, worked well at school and especially at woodwork, which laid the foundation for his chosen career as a carpenter. He enjoyed GAA - playing football up to Under 21 with Carbery Rangers. He was sociable and outgoing - having a wide group of friends throughout his life. Following a short stay in Limerick, Raymond turned to his vocation in life of carpentry and completed his apprenticeship, qualifying as a carpenter in 2004 with Premier Developments Ltd. Raymond lived to work. He enjoyed the creative side of carpentry and insisted that any job be completed to perfection. He could not stand a poor finish from the simplest job to the complex carpentery tasks. He never slept in nor did he ever tire of work and recognised at an early age that working hard gave him success. At twenty-three years, he bought a plot of land at Tullineasky and began to build a beautiful house to which he devoted his heart, soul and time. Other than work, Raymond's main focus in life was his family. He had an unwavering and selfless devotion to his mother and father and he modelled himself on his two elder brothers, Martin and Paul, and adored his two elder sisters Jacinta and Lorretto. They were not only close to Raymond as his family, but were also close friends - a closeness which survives his passing. Raymond also was a model uncle to Aaron and godfather to Eoghan, a popular brother-in-law, nephew, cousin and much loved grandson. In his younger but later years, Raymond spent the majority of his leisure time with his girlfriend Anne-Marie, with whom he shared an equal bond of respect and love. Raymond was a free spirit, selflessly working for his parents and family, generous in kind and with his time, full of laughter and jokes, effortlessly without wanting or needing to be, he would become the focus of any group's attention. Life was seen in black and white but he possessed the maturity of reflection and listened to people's opinions before finally making his own decisions. He drew people to him, he had many friends - respectful to and supportive of him. Following the horror of Christmas Eve, there was pride for his family as they witnessed a clam, silent and dignified group of family and friends wait their turn to shoulder Raymond's coffin on that cold, slow an painful walk from Caherbeg to St Fachtna's Church, Rosscarbery, and again through Lisavaird to his final resting place in the cemetery of Lisavaird Church. As we now go through the despair at his very sudden loss, we all remember the joy that we knew Raymond - the laughter and fun, light and sunshine that bursts through our cold and cruel loss of late last year. He touched so many of our lives with his generosity, humour and sincerity that we remain grateful for a time when we all will meet again. "It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone, for part of us went with you on Christmas Eve when God called you home" From his loving family Courtesy of the Southern Star 4 March 2006 Tweet

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