'Forever loved, forever missed': Funeral held for much-loved Cookstown man Dylan McCann

THE family and friends of Dylan McCann gathered at Holy Trinity Church, Cookstown, on Saturday to bid farewell to a much-loved son, grandson, brother, boyfriend and friend.

Dylan, 23, tragically died following a four-vehicle collision at the junction between the Armagh Road and Church Road in Newry on Monday morning, October 19. He was driving one of the cars involved in the collision which included a lorry, van and another car.

During the service, Dylan was remembered for his cheeky personality, stubbornness, ambition and his love for animals among other small habits which made him so loved by his family and friends.

A tribute from Dylan’s family remembered him as a “beautiful blue-eyed boy” who had big dreams.

He was particularly remembered for his unique way of apologising without saying any words at all.

“If Dylan turned up with a pizza, there was a good chance he had been up to something,”

His loyalty was also honoured as a big part of who Dylan was. He was noted to have valued loyalty and trust so deeply with his family saying, “Dylan was very particular about who he let into his life. Loyalty and trust meant everything to him, and if you were lucky enough to earn his friendship, you had a friend for life.”

The service heard of the strong friendship between Dylan and his best friend Ryan, who were described as a “package deal”. It was expressed that their friendship was “filled with laughter, competition, and countless memories.”

Dylan had a huge love for go-karting, though his family said, winning was what mattered the most to him.

A selection of gifts were presented during the service to represent Dylan’s life, a racing helmet being one of them. Dylan’s girlfriend, Mollie, presented an Xbox controller to remember how Dylan loved gaming. Alongside these, his sister Alesha offered photos of Dylan’s much-loved pets ‘baby’ Alfie, Max and Callie.

Dylan had a love for animals and it was highlighted during the service how the way he treated animals “showed his gentle, affectionate side that those closest to him knew so well”.

A bricklayer by trade, Dylan was described as a hard-working and ambitious young man who took great pride in his work. The address heard of how he had followed in the footsteps of his father, Nicholas.

“Nicholas was a huge inspiration to Dylan, and though he never wanted to admit it, he wanted to be just like his dad. He wanted the same job, car and house, and most of all, he wanted a son.

“His stepmum, Donna, remembers catching him as a little boy wearing his dad’s work top and pretending to lay bricks. Even then he was following in his dad’s footsteps.”

He dreamed of one day owning his own contracting business, and although he did not have the opportunity to fulfil that ambition, his family said they would always be proud of his determination.

His work tools were presented during the funeral as a symbol of his passion for his job.

Dylan also loved his blue BMW, and his family recalled his love of music, with his tastes ranging from Adele and Radiohead to Johnny Cash and Miley Cyrus.

When Dylan went for a shower, they said, “the whole house got a concert, whether they wanted to or not”.

The funeral heard of Dylan’s close bond with his sister, Shania, recalling how he insisted on sleeping beside her every night from a very young age. Dylan also leaves behind his younger sisters and step-brother Padraig. It was noted how he was “always messing about, making them giggle and bringing out their playful side”.

Dylan’s girlfriend Mollie also spoke at his funeral, recalling her cherished memories with him and expressing her love for him as her boyfriend.

“Words cannot describe the pain of losing not only my boyfriend but my best friend and the love of my life. What we had was so special and I will be forever grateful that I got to love you and thankful that I was loved by you.

“It wasn’t supposed to end like this. You had so many plans and so much love for life. You were such a hard-working, loving man who would do anything for the people around you.”

She told the address of her pride in the person Dylan was and how she will miss his “silly ways”, his laugh and all the little things that made him so special.

She recalled Dylan’s interests in F1, go-karting, and the hot chocolate dates they shared, vowing to remember him anytime she heard their mention.

“I would give anything to have one more day with you, one more cuddle, one more kiss, and one more chance to tell you how much I love you,” she said.

“I never imagined having to live a life without you.”

Mollie said Dylan would always be her “best friend, favourite person and greatest love”.

“A lifetime with you would never have been long enough.”

Dylan’s family spoke of their heartache that he would never have the chance to achieve all the things he wanted to do.

“He had so much more life to live, so many more memories to make, and so many dreams to fulfil,” the funeral heard.

“We would happily put up with the huffiness, the stubbornness, the mess, and the wrappers on the floor, if it meant having him here with us again.”

His family said Dylan would not have wanted those closest to him to sit around being miserable.

They imagined him telling them to “catch ourselves on, stop crying and get on with things”, with a “big smirk” on his face.

The family said they would instead remember Dylan through the laughter, stories and memories they shared.

“Dylan, you were much loved, more than you could ever, ever imagine, and we would give anything for one more hug, one more laugh and one more glimpse of that cheeky smirk,” the tribute concluded.

“Forever our Dylan, forever loved, forever missed and never, ever forgotten.”

Dylan’s family circle includes his parents Nicholas and Donna and Emma, his siblings Shania, Caitlin, Alesha, Ella, Caoimhe, Fiadh and Padraig, his grandparents Marie, Una and Peter, his girlfriend Mollie, best friends Leo and Ryan, and his wider family and friends.