‘kind man’ | 

Large crowds gather for funeral mass of Tom Niland who died after burglary in Sligo

“He was soft-spoken in a manner that was indicative of his gentle personality.”

Thu 5 Oct 2023 at 12:46

A large crowd gathered today for the funeral mass of Tom Niland who died last Saturday in Sligo University Hospital.

Mr Niland had been in hospital since he suffered serious injuries during a burglary at his home in Skreen, Co Sligo on January 18 last year.

The funeral mass took place today at St Adamnan’s Church in Skreen, where a large group of mourners gathered this afternoon.

On behalf of Mr Niland’s family, parish priest Fr Michael Gilroy thanked the gardaí, Civil Defence, local volunteers, and media for all they had done in support of him, especially thanking staff at Sligo University Hospital for all they had done.

Fr Gilroy described the “poignant guard of honour” of hospital staff who lined the route when Mr Niland’s body was being removed from Sligo University Hospital.

“As the days became weeks, and the weeks became months, they discovered the humble, gracious, gentle and kind man that we all love and respect”.

“There is a profound sadness at Tom’s leaving us, there is also a sense of relief that Tom’s suffering is over and that he is now at peace with God.

“Tom loved working the land and tending to the livestock. His knowledge and skills were often called upon and Tom would happily oblige”.

Fr Gilroy said that Tom was a quiet man unless you were luck enough to know him.

“He was soft-spoken in a manner that was indicative of his gentle personality.

“His car gave him great independence, and he enjoyed visiting his family and friends. To put it simply, Tom lived a quiet and contented life.

“For the last 21 months, we have missed his gentle presence in our midst.”

Fr Gilroy spoke about the impact Tom’s death has had on the people of Ireland and the world.

“Thousands of messages are pouring in on social media from people around the world who are deeply saddened by Tom’s death.

“For a man who was so shy and unassuming, his gentle smile has reached every corner of the world and touched the hearts of many people who never knew him.

“Today we pay our final respect to a man who has been part of the fabric of this parish over so many years. A life lived with gentleness and humility, two of the most beautiful virtues that you can find in a human being.”

Three men are currently before the courts in relation to Mr Niland’s death.