Death of local man in Thailand

The funeral has taken place of Cootehill businessman Richard Donnelly who died following a road traffic accident in Thailand last month.

Richard Donnelly, Dromore West, Cootehill, Co Monaghan, died on August 29, after an incident in Chaing Mai, a city in the north of the country.

Mr Donnelly, a talented musician, was proprietor of Jennings Bakery, which produces potato bread slices and buttermilk pancakes and operates out of a unit at the Cootehill Enterprise Centre, Drumman.

Predeceased by his father Seán, Mr Donnelly is survived by his mother Kate, sister Laura, brother-in-law Ian, nephews James and John and wide circle of friends.

In his death notice posted on RIP.ie, Mr Donnelly was described as a “free-spirit” whose “gentle nature” touched the hearts of many.

Mr Donnelly had a Thai Buddhist funeral followed by cremation at the Wat San Pasak Wora Urai Thammaram temple in Chiang Mai on Monday-Tuesday, September 4-5.

The “beautiful peaceful service” was officiated by Donnelly family friend, Rev Peter Tarleton, who retired to Bangkok in September 2020 after 46 years as an Anglican clergyman.

His mother and sister Kate and Laura also wrote on the death notice: “Our heartfelt thanks are extended to Peter, Oi and Richard's friends in Thailand for their kindness and support. The hospital staff in the Maharaj Nakorn Hospital and our friends and family here in Ireland who have and will continue to support us through the dark days ahead.”