Irish actor Colin Farrell offered an emotional and heartfelt eulogy during the funeral for his father Eamon Farrell, which was held in Dublin on Saturday, April 12.
Eamon Farrell, who was in his 80s, "passed peacefully after a long illness bravely borne, in the loving care of his family and the excellent staff of the Whitworth Ward, Beaumont Hospital" on Wednesday, April 9, a notice on RIP.ie states.
During the funeral at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Glasnevin, Dublin on Saturday, Colin said: "It seems impossible to try and encapsulate all that you've meant to me in 48 years of being father and son.
"I suppose I should start with a simple truth: I'm so glad you were my dad.
"We had our share of tricky enough times along the path, but what fathers and sons don't?
"But as I grew into manhood and particularly as I, too, became a dad, all I could and can remember are the good times. More importantly, all I can feel are all the good times we shared.
"Of course, I feel them now through the lens of loss, these moments frozen in time."
Eamon Farrell. (RIP.ie)
Colin went on to recall how safe he felt sitting on his father's lap after he had gotten stitches after an accident in school when he was about five years old, and sweetly reflected on how his dad, a former star with Shamrock Rovers, coached his youth team.
In a humorous break, Colin told of how he and his father snuck onto the grounds of the Prince's Palace in Monaco when Colin was just seven.
"I remember being on a holiday with you and mom and my brothers and sister in France, and you wanted to sneak onto the grounds of the Prince's palace in Monaco into an area that no one was allowed - it was clear, it was cordoned off.
"And not only that, but you had only on a tight little pair of football shorts and no shirt.
"And, dad, I was only seven, but even then I knew, it just wasn't a great idea.
"But I went with you of course, because I would have gone anywhere with you, because I was mad about you, you see.
"And when palace security received a report of a sunburned man half-naked strutting about the grounds with a little child in tow, we were immediately set upon by two guards and a very well-dressed fella in a dinner jacket and dress pants who said 'Follow me, please.' You turned to me and whispered, 'Just follow me, Wobs.' That's what you used to call me - Wobs.
"And we walked down one corridor, then another, and at one point, the security took a left and you swiftly took a right, cool as anything, no panic.
"I followed you and we legged it around the palace for another cheeky stare and then we were out the gate and free.
"I was terrified but I was exhilarated, it was so exciting, breaking the rules with you.
"You were so exciting - you really were."
The funeral mass for Eamon Farrell was held at Our Lady of Victories in Glasnevin. (RollingNews.ie)
Colin went on to lovingly say how his father was a "menace" in the car, but later added: "I loved being your son, dad. You were a god to me growing up."
He said how in his "drinking days," he would seek out "the inner city pubs that had all the old fellas in them" just so he could "nonchalantly find a way to drop" that his father was Shamrock Rovers star Eamon Farrell.
"We are all so grateful to you, Dad, me and my siblings, Eamon, Catherine, and Claudine, for bringing us into the world. I know our mother Rita is grateful to you, also, for that reason. She's here with her husband Joe, by the way, they're here to pay their respects."
Concluding his remarks, Colin said: "The strangest thing about death of a loved one I learned in the last few days, Dad, you're asked to do two seemingly contradictory things at exactly the same time - learn to let go and also, to hold.
"I promise you, Dad, I'll hold you with me for the rest of my days, but lighter than I ever thought possible, your last great gift to me.
"I miss you very much and I'll go about now figuring out what it's like to live knowing you're not in the world, but also knowing that you'll always live within me and us, and that you're in a much better place now, as you deserve."
After referring to his father as "one of Dublin's great sons," Colin said: "You did it, Eamo, you made it. Well done.
"Thanks for the love and the memories, thanks for being my dad. Love you."
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