Tragic death of Stephen Dorrigan stuns county The parish of Gortletteragh and the county of Leitrim was stunned when news filtered through of the sudden and tragic death of former county hurler and footballer Stephen Dorrigan at the age of 24. Stephen, a garda based in Drogheda, had taken ill while on a night out with colleagues on Friday night and was rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Despite the best efforts of staff in the County Louth hospital, Stephen passed away with his family by his side in the early hours of Saturday morning, at 6.55am. A native of Tooman, Gortletteragh, Stephen is survived by father Mickey, mother Helena (nee Flynn), older sister Rachel and his numerous relatives and friends. Although he had suffered in recent years from serious illness, Stephen had enjoyed improved health and had returned to work and was in good form at the time of his sudden demise. Amidst incredible scenes of grief and sadness, Stephen's remains were brought back to St. Mary's church in Gortletteragh on Sunday evening at 7pm where crowds were still waiting to sympathise with Stephen's family some three hours later. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy attended the removal on Sunday evening while the Chief Superintendents and Superintendents from the Louth/Meath division where Stephen was stationed and the Sligo/Leitrim division attended the funeral mass on Monday morning. Stephen's coffin drapped in the Irish flag and a Gortletteragh jersey, was carried by his Garda colleagues from the church to the adjoining cemetery in Gortletteragh with an accompanying colour guard while members of Gortletteragh GAA club and past and present members of the Leitrim hurling squad provided guards of honour. Fr John Quinn, PP Gortletteragh, celebrated the requiem mass while Fr Francis Garvey, the former principal of St Mel's in Longford which Stephen attended from 1996 to 2001, gave a moving and heart-warming sermon on Stephen's life. Recalling Stephen's nickname of 'Stumpy" which drew chuckles from those in the church, Fr Garvey said that his quirky sense of humour, Stephen was a "chip off the old block." With the Dorrigan and Flynn dynasties on both sides of his family, Stephen was destined to play gaelic games and in spite of his young age Stephen achieved quite a deal, winning a Connacht Junior Championship medal with a Leitrim team that reached the All-Ireland Final in 2004. He was also named Footballer of the Year in 2001 in St. Mel's as well as winning Leinster U14 and 16A championship title for the famed Longford school. Stephen also represented Leitrim at hurling, Under 21 and Minor football levels and won numerous underage county titles with his club. He also played in the 2004 County Final for Gortletteragh against Annaduff, scoring three points in a final that Gortletteragh narrowly lost, and in the 2005 County Hurling Final at centre-back for an amalgamated team called Gael an Chontae. Stephen's father Mickey is a former County player himself, having represented the county in both codes, and is widely known throughout the country through his work as a District Court clerk in Carrick-on-Shannon, with District & Circuit Court staff, judges and solicitors joining the crowds in Gortletteragh last Sunday. The staff of the Leitrim Observer would like to offer their sincere sympathy to the Dorrigan family on their sad loss, may he rest in peace. - Courtesy of The Leitrim Observer, Friday 29th February 2008 Tweet

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