A vigil is to be held in Kildress tonight (Monday) for the young Tyrone Gaelic Footballer who passed away suddenly at the weekend in Sydney.
Cookstown man Matthew McGuigan, or Matty as he was known to his friends and family, had only arrived in Australia days before he died on Saturday (December 2).
He was a former captain of Kildress Wolfe Tones and also helped to manage underage teams.
Tonight, a vigil is to be held in the 24-year-old’s memory at Gortacladdy at 7pm. The prayer vigil will be led by Kildress Parish Priest, Father Paddy Hughes, with all attending asked to bring a candle.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser set up to support the family has raised over £28,000 through Gofundme.
In a tribute on social media on Sunday, Kildress Wolfe Tones described Matty as their “shining light” and said the club was in “dark places” following Matty’s “totally traumatising” passing.
The statement said that Matty was heavily involved in the club right up to his passing, maintaining his “unrivalled standards” off the pitch – having even chaired the elections at the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week.
It continued: “All with the class, style, wisdom, good-naturedness, humour and integrity that others take decades to develop – if ever. Gifted with talent that he then carried so well.
“He brought our Club, and everybody in it or associated with it, joy, delight, leadership, example, fun, and hard, hard work. Just the best of us. If you knew Matty, no profile of him is necessary. And if you didn’t know him, probably no profile is possible.
“Our heartbroken sympathy goes to Mel, Grainne, Darragh, Liam and Karol, to Clodagh, to our Club President Matt Tracey, Colette and their family, to Matty’s brother-and-sister players, to all his many friends and colleagues from work and school, and to our fellow Gaels in Cookstown and Ardboe.
“D’imigh tu i mblath na hóige, ar Sholas na bhFlaitheas go raibh do anam geal. You departed in the bloom of youth, may your pure soul be granted the Light of Heaven.”
This is the second tragedy to befall the club in recent times.
Back in September, nine-year-old Ronan Wilson died after he was struck by a vehicle in Bundoran, Co. Donegal.
Ronan, a pupil of St Mary’s Primary School in Dunamore, was also an under 10 player with Kildress Wolfe Tones.
Funeral arrangements for Matty to be announced later.
