A stunned Blessington community rallied together in grief as tears were shed for one of their local hero's and most popular sons. As an avid Liverpool fan, it was a fitting that the theme of the mass was 'You'll never walk alone.' One of the most moving scenes in a heart-breaking service arrived when the presentation of gifts in the Church of Our Lady funeral mass saw two footballs, one large, one small, brought up to the altar. They summed up the two loves in his life, his son Ben and football, and were described as "Daddy's ball and Ben's ball." Fr Tim Murphy was the first to touch upon the theme of the mass, a tribute to Raymond's love of Liverpool FC. "When we are on the sideline of a football match we are never alone, or never feel alone, as we are all psyched up. "However, when we are on top of the 65 A bus or walking up Blessington's main street, those are the times, we may feel alone. He added, "The tears will roll but the tears will be dried and we do walk on because we walk together, in a Christian belief here in Blessington.' As well as Raymond's and Ben's footballs, other gifts were also brought up to the altar, including Blessington GAA and soccer jerseys, a Wicklow jersey, his player of the season awards for Blessington and Dunlavin and a Liverpool jersey. During the eulogy, Michael Sargent also touched upon Raymond's love affair with the Merseysiders. 'There will be one empty seat in Anfield when Liverpool play Newcastle and I know Raymond was looking forward to going. A tribute from one of Raymond's friends, Justin Curran, a local man living in Kentucky. 'I am just happy I had the pleasure to grow up with you and am grateful for the countless hours we spent together on the GAA field. It is only at a time of sadness like this that you realise what kind of impact you can have on someone else's life and you definitely had one on mine, and I am forever indebted for that. "I am truly sorry I couldn't be with you this one last time, you may have gone now Ray, but you will "Never Walk Alone." As Raymond's coffin was slowly and carefully lowered into his final resting place, his funeral and burial ended with a friend leading the way as the refrains of 'You'll never walk alone' drifted sorrowfully around Burgage Cemetery. -Courtesy of the Wicklow People, 6th February 2008 Tweet

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