“KNOWN TO many as Christy and to family as Kit”, Christopher Nolan was lucky, family and friends were told at his removal in St Fintan’s Church, Sutton, Co Dublin last night.
“Thankfully for him, and for all of us”, the lack of oxygen at birth which disabled him physically “did not affect Christy’s intellectual faculty”, Fr Kevin Bartley said. “Also, thankfully for Christy, he was born into the Nolan family of Bernie, Joe and Yvonne, who loved and supported him every step of the way.”
They “believed in him before his writing placed him on the world stage. It brought them on a journey from Gortnamóna near Mullingar to Milltownpass to Clontarf where they could be near the Central Remedial Clinic and Christy could get the best possible start in life. Then, in 1995, they moved to Sutton,” said Fr Bartley.
“Let’s acknowledge the Nolans, who first believed in Christy and then saw the fruit of his work. No doubt their belief in him facilitated in Christy a strong self-belief.”
The writer, who died on Friday at the age of 43, “was a man not only of great intellect but also of great spirituality”, Fr Bartley said.
“He received Jesus in Holy Communion from his Mam Bernie’s acting as Minister and whose hands held the unicorn stick .”
His death had been “sudden, shocking and unexpected for his family”.
Chief mourners were the author’s parents Joseph and Bernadette Nolan, his sister Yvonne, brother-in-law Stephen Corr, nephews Fiachra and Garvan, and nieces Sunniva and Djuna.
Among those in attendance were producers Moya Doherty and John McColgan, Fianna Fáil TD Michael Woods, writer Anthony Jordan, Literary Editor at The Irish Times Caroline Walsh, along with three people who worked on Christopher’s only play Torchlight and Laser Beams, publicist Gerry Lundberg, actor Clive Geraghty and director Michael Scott. The play was staged at Dublin’s Gaiety theatre in 1988.
Fr Bartley was assisted by Mgr John Fitzpatrick, parish priest at St Fintan’s, Canon Raymond Moloney and Fr William Stuart.
