Toomebridge road crash victim Ciaran Hurl remembered for his 'big broad smile'

Mr Hurl, from Ardean Close in Moortown, passed away when the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a collision with a lorry on the Blackpark Road on Thursday morning (August 17).

At his funeral Mass on Sunday morning in The Church of The Immaculate Conception, Moortown, members of Mr Hurl’s family were joined by his friends and colleagues, including representatives of local sporting organisations.

They heard how an online post by Moortown St. Malachy's GAC which said ‘as a club and community we need to wrap Ciaran’s family in love and support over the days and months ahead’ had been particularly relevant and was a beautiful sentiment.

Mr Hurl, who was 26, was a lorry driver and was described as an outdoor man, who loved a variety of sports and music.

One of his favourite songs, the emotional ‘The Green Fields of France’ written by Eric Bogle, was played during Sunday morning’s service. The song tells the story of a young soldier called Willie McBride, who fought and died during World War I and is presented from the perspective of a visitor to Willie's gravesite in a military cemetery in France.

The celebrant told those gathered for the funeral Mass that people would remember Mr Hurl and that he was not just another Roads Service statistic.

"In a split second Ciaran left his family and community. I like to think that in that split second Jesus was there for him,” he said.

Mr Hurl was the dearly loved son of Enda and Shauna and much-loved brother of Michelle, Aoibheann and Dara, uncle of Alaya and Jayla and loving partner to Lucy, grandson of Seamus and Margaret Rose and the late Sean and Patricia Lavery.

He was laid to rest in the cemetery adjacent to The Church of The Immaculate Conception.

A PSNI spokesperson said a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision is ongoing. Officers would appeal to anyone with any information or who may have dashcam footage available to contact them at the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 201 of 17/08/23.