MOURNERS AT the funeral in Derry on Saturday of mother-of-four Jean Quigley, who was found murdered at her home over a week ago, were told she had already chosen a name for her unborn child.
There were emotional scenes as Ms Quigley’s remains were carried from her parents’ home in Fernabbey for Requiem Mass in the nearby St Joseph’s Church in Galliagh. Among the many floral tributes was one which said “Mammy”, with a sympathy card attached from Ms Quigley’s four young children.
Ms Quigley (30), who was two months pregnant, was found murdered in her Cornshell Fields home in the Shantallow area of Derry last Saturday week.
Speaking at the Mass, Fr Dermot McGirr revealed that such was Ms Quigley’s love of children that she had already picked a name for her unborn baby.
“At the heart of Jean’s life was her love for family. She loved her parents, her sister and brothers, she enjoyed her relations and savoured being an aunt and she lived for her children to Colm Quinn – Dylan, Jordan, Cole and Chanice – and she was pregnant with little Kevin Christopher,” he said.
“Jean loved her children and they filled her heart and thoughts. She was always there for them, no matter what they had to go through, there whenever school ended every day and she saved hard for their holidays together.
“She also got a thrill from playing with her children. Water fights were a common sight at home and it was Jean who started some of them.
“People have their own stories of knowing Jean over the years and they speak of a young woman who befriended people, who loved family and who embraced life. She was very well liked and so it is that her unexpected and sudden death on Saturday has come as a great shock to all of us,” he said.
Following the Requiem Mass Ms Quigley was buried in the city cemetery.