Court pays tribute to young Ballina man
Tributes were paid to Richard Loftus at Ballina District Court.
Warm tributes were paid at Ballina District Court last Friday to the late Richard Loftus, ‘Siena’, Foxford Road, Ballina, a popular young man from a well-known local family of legal professionals, who passed away after a courageously fought battle with illness.
His funeral took place last Saturday morning followed by burial at Leigue Cemetery.
Richard’s father Marc Loftus is a well-known legal practitioner in Ballina and operates Bourke, Carrigg & Loftus with his sister Rosemary and their cousin Peter.
At last Friday’s court sitting, solicitor Tom Walsh offered his condolences to the Loftus and Duffy families on behalf of the solicitors of Mayo.
“I want to mark and acknowledge the passing of Richard Loftus on behalf of all practitioners and all users of the court,” he said. “This has brought grief and great sadness down upon us all.”
Ballina court office manager Ailish McGuinness offered her condolences on behalf of the Courts Service.
“It is a dark day here at the courthouse and a dark day in the wider Ballina community. I want to offer sincere condolences to the Loftus and Duffy family who have lost their beautiful son,” she said. “I had the pleasure of meeting Richard a few months ago when he was with his father Marc and Peter here. He had a great zest for life and bore his illness with dignity and great courage.”
Sgt Fiona Farrell passed sympathies onto Richard’s family on behalf of An Garda Síochána.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences on this very sad occasion,” she said.
Judge Sandra Murphy said the loss of such a young man had been felt strongly among the local legal profession and wider community.
“The loss of Richard Loftus is something that has made us all feel strongly and I know from court this week that everyone is heartbroken,” she said. “His family is a huge part of the legal and wider community here in Ballina. May his kind, gentle, brave and courageous soul rest in peace.”
A minute's silence was held, following which Richard’s cousin Peter Loftus thanked everyone on behalf of the Loftus family for their comforting and kind words.
