Gilmore, Rory
December 23, 2004North Galway was plunged into mourning following the death of a young man in a tragic two car accident in the city-the popular 21 year old passed away in the Beaumont Hospital.
GMIT student Rory Gilmore (21) from Gardenfield, Tuam was the front seat passenger in the car which was driven by his friend at College Road, Galway and was involved in a collision with a taxi.
Rory suffered severe head injuries in the accident and was removed by helicopter to the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he lost his battle for life.
His death provided life to a number of people who were the recipients of his organs which were successfully transferred on Sunday night.
Thousands of mourners, who included many of his college friends, attended his removal and funeral which brought Tuam to an emotional standstill.
Rory was a quiet and very popular individual who was chuffed when he won a county Junior Football C title with his beloved Tuam Stars and was also a huge hurling fan.
He was also a relation of the extended Gilmore family in North Galway who are well known in footballing circles and Rory always felt proud of this fact.
It was even more tragic that on the night of the accident he was just a short time into his 21st Birthday which he hoped to celebrate with friends the following night while his grieving parents Padraic and Mary also had a quiet family meal organised for him.
Rory was a pupil of Gardenfield National School and then spent his five years of secondary education in St. Jarlath's College, Tuam.
He then went on to Third Level college and initially had enrolled for an IT course, but took a year out before returning to GMIT where he was studying a business orientated degree. He was content with his new choice and looked forward to graduating.
Rory lived with friends in Renmore and returned home most weekends while keeping regular contact with his 23 year old sister Elaine, who is now working in Canada.
On the night of the tragic accident he and Anthony Tyrrell from Cummer decided that they would go into the city for a takeaway - it proved to be an ill fated journey.
The accident happened close to the entrance to the Galway City Council offices at 12.20am in the early hours of Friday morning. He was the front seat passenger in the car.
When the news of the accident spread, it caused widespread shock both in the GMIT campus and throughout Tuam and surrounding areas. It was followed by immense sadness when it was learned on Saturday night that he had passed away.
His parents had decided to donate his organs and kept a round-the-clock vigil at his bedside until his untimely death.
Earlier on Saturday hundreds of young people, team mates, fellow students and his wide circle of friends and relatives gathered in the Tuam Stars Centre where they lighted candles and said prayers at a special Mass in the hope of his surviving his ordeal.
His many friends lined the route around Gardenfield as his body was returned to his family and again they turned out in their large numbers for his Removal on an extremely wet and windy evening.
His college friends and Tuam Stars stood in Guards of Honour while a number of students read bidding prayers at the funeral Mass. He was buried in Tuam Cemetery.
It was additionally heartbreaking for the Gilmore family when his granduncle, 93 years old Tom Gilmore from Killooney, Dunmore also passed away over the weekend and his burial took place just hours before Rory's Removal.
Rory's father Padraic is an employee of The Tuam Herald and his mother is the former Mary Casserly from Lissavally, Tuam. Rory's sister Elaine, flew in from Montreal, and was with him during his final hours on Saturday evening.
Courtesy of the Connacht Tribune
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