Young army captain remembered as ‘an officer and gentleman’

“He will be forever young, an officer and a gentleman” who died doing what he loved is how 25-year Ballinameen man Gilbert Muldowney was remembered at his Funeral Mass this afternoon, Saturday, in St Attracta’s Church, Ballinameen.

Mr Muldowney died following a British Army training incident in Northumbria on Sunday, January 25th while serving as a fire support team commander in the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery.

A large crowd attended his Funeral Mass this afternoon, which saw a guard of honour being formed as his remains were carried from his home to the church by his British Army comrades.

Bishop of Elphin and Achonry Most Rev Kevin Doran welcomed many of Mr Muldowney’s colleagues and friends from the British Army, including regimental chaplain, Reverend Captain Henry Afful, Colonel Sean Grant, Defence Attache at the British Embassy, Colonel Harry Waller, Commanding Officer in the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery, where Gilbert served, and Colonel William Tulloch, 1st Battalion Scots Guards Commander who attended the service.

Symbols of his life were brought to the altar including his walking boots, a symbol of his love of the mountains along with handmade longbows, representing his work a master craftsman of wood.

His favourite book, The Count of Monte Cristo, which he believed was the best novel ever written represented the young man who read widely and voraciously while a pair of his Christmas leggings demonstrated his “enthusiasm for dubious loungewear”.

A bottle of his homemade elderflower champagne was also presented along with his St. Christopher's medal, a symbol of his love of jewellery, his faith, and his delight in travelling.

His sister Kate recalled a brother who was a role model. She said: “It's a shame Gilbert can't be here today to speak, because there'd be no better man to do his eulogy than himself. He was always self-assured enough to know his virtues and achievements and how much we all loved him. Opinionated as he was, he had a lot to say on eulogies. One of his particular pet peeves was how he hated how eulogies would always describe the person as perfect and saint-like, no matter how they were in real life. In that spirit, I feel obliged to tell you what a terrible driver he was, a danger to the roads. His passion for creating chaos wasn't always as endearing as he had hoped.” 

Kate continued: “He wasn't just a big brother, though. He was a son. He was our family. And in a way, this couldn't have happened to a stronger family. He couldn't have had parents who were more proud of him or sisters who love him more than we do.” 

She added: “He was living his dream, being out in the wild on exercises with his friends. And equally, he cherished coming home to be with his friends here to relive the good old days. It is tempting to think of his life as cut short and to imagine all the great things he would have done. But the truth is, he lived more than most of us ever will in his 25 years.” 

His sister Rachel also spoke of a brother who instilled friendship where ever he went and believed it was his duty to serve.She stated: “Gilbert once said that when people die young, all they ever are is the guy who died young. We will not allow this to happen to him. We will celebrate a life incredibly richly lived. Gilbert lived his life to the fullest. Everything he did, he gave 100%. He lived large and exuberantly. When he wanted to do something, he just went ahead and did it. He loved travelling. He loved a night out. He loved interesting things. He loved people. He loved mountains and being outside, and also inside by a roaring fire. He relaxed hard, but he played harder. He loved Ireland, and particularly he loved Ballinameen.

“He loved the community, his friends here. If you want to know the measure of a man, you simply count his friends. He was a very popular guy. He knew it well. He had so many friends and people who loved him, and he loved the people he called his friends so dearly. He had so much energy for bringing people together and organising things that wouldn't happen without his powerful force. He had such great friends spread all over England and Ireland. Coming home and seeing his old friends was such a joy to him. People were drawn towards his confidence, goodness, intelligence, and phenomenal sense of humour.” 

She recalled growing up with her older brother stating: “In secondary school, he was so effortlessly clever, he nailed everything socially, educationally, and athletically. As an adult, this translated into being unbelievably good at his job, by all accounts. He was never afraid of hard work.” 

Speaking of his final moments she said: “One of his colleagues told me last week that he was a shining example of what an officer should be, as well as a bloke. Gilbert prided himself on being a powerful force. He honestly died doing what he loved. He actively enjoyed being outside in the elements, in the wild, and sleeping in his basha. At his final training with his section, they were communicating on headsets. When he was hit, he came across the radio saying, Man Down. When they got to him, less than 30 seconds later, he was gone. He got his final word in, and he would have absolutely loved what it was. Man Down. For the army crowd, what an ally bloke. For the home crowd, what a beast.” 

Mr Muldowney had the final words at his own Funeral Mass when a short video was played capturing the time when he attended Menin Gate in Belgium where he quoted a verse For The Fallen – ‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.’ Mr Muldowney was later laid to rest in St Attracta’s Cemetery.

He is survived by his parents, David and Meg; sisters, Rachel and Kate; grandfather, Fred; aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, goddaughter Katie, a large circle of friends, and fellow army colleagues.

*Click on the link below to watch as colleagues carry the coffin from Captain Muldowney's home in Ballinameen to nearby St. Attracta's Church.