It was with deep sadness and a sense of shock and devastation that, just as we completed the day’s work in ‘The Big Clean-up’ for Féile Peile 2018 on Saturday 23rd June, the awful news broke of the sudden and very untimely death of young Péarce Branagan one of our Senior Hurlers who was also a Juvenile Hurling Coach and Referee. Pearce aged just 23 passed away after suffering a cardiac seizure on Saturday evening at the home of his girlfriend Ellen McCrilly. He had just begun his teaching career in St Malachy’s PS Kilcoo. He was born with a heart defect but didn’t want that to define who he was. In May he ran a leg of the Belfast Marathon Relay for The Heartbeat Trust. He was laid to rest in St John’s Cemetery following Requiem Mass on Thursday 28th June.
In 2007 Péarce was one of ten Clonduff dual players who won B titles in Down Féile Peile and Féile na nGael. The Hurlers went to the All Ireland series in Kilkenny and the Footballers went to the Ulster series in Cavan the previous week where they annexed the Ulster title in their grade. Just a few weeks before his passing Péarce played on the Clonduff Down Feis 7s winning team along with his brother Lorcan who is a senior dual player in Clonduff Club
Pearce is the second son of Tony and Terri (8 Ballycashone Road), younger brother of Padraig and older brother of Lorcan and Caitlin. To them, his girlfriend Ellen McCrilly (Moy), a wide family circle and his team mates and his pupils in St Malachy’s we tender our deepest sympathy. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Mary Queen of the Gael Pray for him and his family. Ár dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
