Crash victim Stephen Marron had been hoping to bring his children to see Santa Claus this weekend.

Speaking before the funeral mass, parish priest Canon Shane McCaughey said Mr Marron’s family “are in a state of shock.”

Mourners gathered early at St Mary’s Church in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan for the funeral of Mr Marron, the 47-year-old father of two died in a two car collision in the town on Tuesday night.

Canon McCaughey said is the second time his parents have lost a child; their daughter Patricia died 25 years ago when she was 11 years old.

“They have gone down this journey before; in November 25 years ago they followed the small coffin of an 11 year old girl to this church,” he said.

“Stephen’s own children were preparing this weekend to go away for a little treat over to Galway, Stephen had arranged for his wife and children to meet Santa Claus.

“I know the Toy Show was on last night on RTE and the children of the country were so much looking forward to that. I know Stephens’ son and daughter were so much part of that as well,” he continued.

“One of the symbols that is going to be presented today at the start of our liturgy is a little plaque that Helen, Stephen’s wife, had got for their children to give to Stephen on Christmas Day.

“It is such a sad time in the mouth of Christmas for a family to be distraught and to be so hurting when the rest of our country rightly so is celebrating Christmas, the birth of Christ, the coming of Santa Claus and all those good things,” he added.

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