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THE FAMILY OF an Irish man who died alone in Manchester have been located, following a widespread appeal for people to attend his funeral.
John Joseph O’Brien died at his home in Hulme in Manchester earlier this year.
He was originally from Wexford.
Following his death, attempts were made by Manchester Police to find O’Brien’s next-of-kin, but no one could be located.
This prompted umbrella organisation the Council of Irish Associations to issue an appeal for mourners at the man’s funeral as they believed no one would attend.
Following the appeal, the family of the man made contact and requested privacy at his funeral.
In a statement to London-Irish publication the Irish Post, the family thanked the community for their help.
“We thank the community for their help, but please respect our family’s wishes for a private funeral,” the statement reads.
Anyone who wishes to can make a donation in O’Brien’s name to the Salvation Army.
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I can’t help but question what kind of family they are.
@The Throwaway: If he died leaving a few euro’s behind they wouldn’t be long show up
@mickmc: on the ball Mick.
@The Throwaway: You know nothing about the man, his family or his circumstances People become estranged for many reasons. Don’t be so judgemental.
@The Throwaway:
Many people are estranged from families for a variety of reasons. It doesn’t necessarily say they are bad families
@mickmc: Did he not die in his own house
May he rest in peace
@The Throwaway: don’t question anything mind your own business about the personal affairs of this man and his family, it’s just an article on a poor man that died alone and the struggle to find his family which have now been located, this article is not for you or all the people that have given you likes to question, have some compassion for people not everyone has had a life of privilege like you’ve probably had yourself
@The Throwaway: Most likely “extended”, hence the difficulty in locating them.
@mickmc: If he had anything then the Salvation Army should have it. They help find closure in a lot of situations like this.
@Chris Kirk: If he has a will, then his wishes will be respected and the few above commenting on his family. Should consider the fact, he may have been a loner and didn’t want contact with family?
@james lee: not really. Why judge a family. Lord knows they may have spent years searching for him.
Many men run off and desert their family’s ,so don’t judge
@FlopFlipU: Not just men but women also
@bings: Women are usually the ones left holding the baby.
@Carol C.: Usually the women but there are more men now left holding the baby than years ago as it was when I was growning up.
@Carol C.: I know a few families where men were left to do it all. The current ‘all women are perfect’ vibe is starting to get on my nerves.
@Carol C.: single dad myself .The woman does,nt care
This is great I am delighted to hear this mans family have been found may he Rest In Peace
@Casper: The fact that this man prefered to be alone says a lot about his family.
@Chris Kirk: no it doesn’t you judgmental idiot.
@Casper: me too as an adult with a missing father who I would give anything to tell him I still love him but narrow minded people don’t know the circumstances
@Joanna Foley: and I hope that you will get to tell him some day Joanna, stay strong
@Casper: and he gets to see his grandkids
@The Throwaway: families become estranged for all sorts of reasons. I presume you are an adult and would understand that?
@Cecilia Byrne: Well said Cecelia. Every family has different circumstances and aren’t necessarily a close family unit.
It’s not like the Irish not to turn up for a funeral. There’s relations of mine who would go to a funeral even if they didn’t know the person. Must be getting tips for their only departure.
@mickmc: They must be politicians……
Please don’t judge family or circumstances, I’ve been looking for my dad for years and it hurts everyday, this could have been my dad so don’t be mean, nobody knows what seperated the family. My heart goes out to them
I would bet that there will be people there to see if they can pick out the mans family that want privacy. People all over the world are nosey. Is there someone who is going to stand at the church door, funeral home & ask everyone “are you family” If they say not family will they be turned away. I’m now being nosey
@bings: no people all over the world are not nosy but there are probably a few nosy shites like you alright
@bings: I doubt that there will be many attending his funeral if he had few friends, the English are certainly not people for attending funerals for strangers.
Caspar :not quite the friendly ghost
@Brian O Reilly: Casper is a very friendly ghost that calls it as he sees it I am not here to be liked or write comments so I’d get so many likes that’s all bull shite, one thing I will never do is talk down or bring down those who are less fortunate than I am and I won’t stand by and let others do it in my company, so right wing neo natzi journal commentators be warned lol
@Casper:
“Right wing neo natzi [sic]” By your own definition I guess.
Whooooahh,,,,,,,,scared!
@TheoWolfe: lol
At least the family have come forward and avoided the possibility of a circus at Manchester Crem. next week. It was an ill-judged appeal.
@TheoWolfe: why was it ill-judged?
@Matt Connolly: They sent an open invitation, not only to people of Hulme,Moss Side and Whalley Range but to the whole of the UK through the Irish Post to turn up at Manchester Crem, which has 2 small chapels and very limited parking space, with a throughput of a funeral approximately every 15 mins.
Can you not see the possibilities.
@TheoWolfe: The English do not generally attend funerals of strangers. The fact that it took the Salvation Army to send out the appeal shows that the decreased was a private individual with no obvious religious denomination. I doubt that many people including his family even knew the man in life.
@TheoWolfe: why are you so bothered how this has turned out like is it really getting to you and could you have done better, it’s just an article to read not to be so critical of it, get a fxxking life.
@Casper:
Critical, I merely said the decision to put out a UK wide appeal for mourners to turn up was ill-judged.
Chris Kirk,
Was it not the Council of Irish Associations that made the appeal?
There must be no inheritance.
@Eugene Comaskey: it’s all about the money with you and your flock on the right
The world is ruined by do-gooders. This guy probably detested his family, he certainly choose a life of isolation in the Uk. Who are we to judge his choices. He lived below the radar and he died on his own. Let it be.
But no. The do-gooders feel sorry for him. Poor man they say, he can’t be buried alone. Now they have dragged his long forgotten family into it. Who is this guy the younger family members must be saying. No one who actually knew him gives a damn about him why should the do-gooders? It makes them feel better perhaps. A thought but perhaps all these do-gooders are actually the really selfish people.
@Michael Drennan: with a comment like that and your calling the do gooders the selfish ones, have you not just paused for a moment and thought that isn’t it better to have decency and respect for all circumstances of people on how they have lived their lives or have chosen to live, I would rather have decency that be a miserable heartless guy like you
He must have had a few bob now that they’re appearing out of the wood
Nothing like a public appeal for strangers to attend a funeral so that the poor man may have some sending off, for the family to suddenly be found after police had failed to locate them! I think it’s selfish of them to turn around now and deny anyone who had it in their hearts to go from doing so. pride!
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