Service In Memory of Paul Darbyshire

The funeral service for Paul Darbyshire took place yesterday in St. Elphins Church in Warrington and afterwards his body was cremated in Howe Bridge Crematorium near Wigan.

Canon June Steventon conducted the service attended by a 55 strong Munster contingent as well as Munster Branch President Denis Kelleher, and Irish national coach Declan Kidney who appointed Darbyshire to his position four years ago.

Among the pall bearers were Ronan O’Gara, Paul McCarthy and Brian Carney with O’Gara later delivering a eulogy as did Munster captain Paul O’Connell.

Barry Murphy gave a poignant rendition of “The Fields of Athenry” joined in the chorus by his Munster colleagues.

Paul Darbyshire’s remains arrived in the Church to the refrain of the Coldplay number Fix You and in her welcome address Canon Stephenson spoke of Paul’s wish that, “there be no fuss no sadness” this day.  She however, determined the occasion warranted some fuss and more than a degree of sadness given the immense impact he had on all our lives.

In his tribute, long-time friend John Thursfield spoke emotionally of a man “who would never ask anyone to do what he wouldn’t do himself” and he ended with the Emily Dickinson poem, “I am always with you.”

The service booklet contained the Winston Churchill quote, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”