Tributes to ‘gentleman’ and devoted family man Joe Carlin

Joe Carlin was born in 1953 and was raised in Creggan Heights.

He married the love of his life Geraldine in September 1978, and the couple went on to have four children, Danielle, Joseph, Paula and Kiera. The devoted family man was also a grandfather to Sarah, Seosamh, Eimear, Ronan and Caoilfhionn.

Mr. Carlin passed away last month after a short period of illness.

A lifelong Derry City supporter, Mr Carlin attended the Brandywell at every possible opportunity.

He used to go to the matches with his own father (Joe Carlin) and daughter Danielle, and was a proud grandfather when his two oldest grandchildren Sarah and Seosamh took an interest and started going to the Brandywell on Friday nights with him.

The Creggan man worked for Bradley and McLaughlin for almost 40 years, helping hundreds of families through their hardest days. Throughout those decades, Denis McLaughlin of Bradley & McLaughlin Funeral Directors worked alongside Mr Carlin, who started out as a taxi man with City Cabs and as a driver for weddings and funerals before moving on to work in the funeral industry full-time.

Mr McLaughlin said Joe Carlin was a huge loss to his family and colleagues, and also to the city. “Joe was very conscientious and sensitive in dealing with bereaved families and made sure they got everything they were looking for,” he said.

“For a long time it would have been just the two of us doing all the call outs and Joe definitely had a way with him.

“It didn’t matter what it was, Joe was able to sort it out. He liaised with, and on behalf of, families; he was well known by the clergy, who had a lot of respect for him, as did the staff in nursing homes and at the Foyle Hospice. He was also well known and liked by other funeral directors.

“He would have prepared notices for the paper, liaised with the cemetery office, looking after music, floral requirements and made sure everything was done as the family required it.

“Everything was so meticulous. The number of calls we have received after he passed away from families he dealt with over the years offering their condolences shows he stood out at the time of their bereavement.”

Mr McLaughlin added: “Joe would be a confidante you could discuss things with and you could depend on, and if he said a thing was done, it was done.

“It is still a shock. Every so often you will see something he was working on, his handwriting. He is deeply missed and a big loss.”

Hundreds of tributes have also been posted on social media, with many referring to Joe Carlin as a “gentleman” and a Derry legend, and as someone who’d do anything to help anyone.

Joe Carlin’s Month’s Mind Mass takes place at St Mary’s Church, Creggan this evening at 7.30pm.