Vinny Cunningham was a ‘gentleman’ whose life was testament to ‘power of love and kindness’
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00We gather here this afternoon with heavy hearts, mourning and grieving the sudden
00:10loss of Vinnie Cunningham, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and
00:21friend. At just 58 years old, Vinnie has been taken from us far too soon after a
00:32short battle with cancer. His absence leaves a nake in your hearts and indeed
00:40in the hearts of our community and of all who knew him and loved him. And we
00:49also come together today not only to grieve and yes to pray for Vinnie's soul
00:55but also to celebrate a life that touched so so many people.
01:04Vinnie Cunningham was a gentleman in every sense of the word and over and
01:13over again at his wake and as the shockwaves hit our city, spread its word
01:21that that he had died, it was in the lips of everyone who knew him over and over
01:28again a true gentleman. His kindness, generosity, humility and wisdom were the
01:41threads woven into the fabric of his life. A gifted cameraman, producer and
01:53director, working on programs like Mahan's Way, Lesser Spotted Ulster and
02:02several documentaries on the Troubles to name but a few. Working with the BBC, ITV
02:11and many private companies here in Derry. Vinnie had a knife for capturing the
02:18world's beauty and telling stories that mattered, stories that gave ordinary
02:24people a voice. But beyond his professional achievements, and there
02:31were many, it was the quiet strength of his character that left the deepest
02:37impact on those he met. He was a joker, a headcase, they're your words not mine.
02:50He loved music, the undertones, he lived and breathed the undertones and of
02:58course the candy stripes. He loved Derry City, a season ticket holder, never
03:05missing a match. He was the go-to person, the confident, the steady hand in
03:14troubling times, the voice of reason when clarity was needed. To his family he was
03:22more than just a husband, father, grandfather, brother. He was a pillar of
03:29support, a source of unconditional love and a wellspring of wisdom. To his
03:39friends and colleagues he was a beacon of integrity and creativity, always ready
03:46to lend a helping hand or offer thoughtful advice. He loved his holidays
03:53and wee breaks. His special place outside of Derry was Alcuda. He was a
04:03wild man for his style, with his Dr. Martin boots and his Harrington jackets
04:09and his Benson & Hedges. No cheap foreign smokes for Vinnie, they had to be the
04:19real deal. And not only was he a cigarette snob but he was a coffee snob
04:25too. He lived for his family, so close and tight. He had a beautiful relationship
04:39with his brothers and sisters, always good to know for a couple of pound or
04:46when booking a holiday. It was like having your own personal travel agent,
04:51always getting the best deals. But Deborah, you were his life. You were
05:00together from you were 15 and he 14. Both of you from Cregan. You were childhood
05:11sweethearts. And when you were married you went to London and he worked in
05:17Jessop's, having in his hand the second love of his life, a camera. But longing
05:26for home in the town he loved so well, you came back to Derry, back to Cregan
05:33where it all began, where you reared your family, your two wains Niall and Orla.
05:41Niall and Orla, you were the centre of your daddy's life, world, the pulse beat of
05:48his heart. A heart which was big enough then for his grandchildren, Casey, Celia
05:56and Avian. Casey never left his side and then the gift of twins, Celia and Avian,
06:05he just loved you all so much and loved to have you. It was a great grace just
06:15passed, Niall, for you and Nicole's wedding on the 31st of December, where you as a
06:22family were together celebrating without the cloud of sickness over you. And I
06:30know that as a family you're so grateful for that grace and that gift.
06:38Benny Cunningham was a man who believed in God. His faith was simple, real and
06:47private. The public dimension of his faith was lived out in the way he treated
06:55others, with love of God and love of neighbour. He loved and respected every
07:03person that he met, a true Christian who looked for the good in others with love
07:11and humility. And in that second reading proclaimed for us today at his funeral
07:17mass, St. Paul's letter to the Philippines, we hear those beautiful
07:23words, our homeland is in heaven. These words remind us that while our time on
07:33earth is short, our true home is with God in heaven. We're not created for this
07:40world. We're created for a much greater world, a world where there's no more pain
07:47or suffering or sickness. Benny's very short sickness and a sudden death is
07:56heartbreaking. And yet, we hold on to the hope that he is now in the loving
08:03embrace of God our Saviour, where there's no more pain, only peace and
08:11eternal joy. Benny Cunningham's life is a testament to the transformative power
08:19of love and kindness. He lived with purpose, with heart and with a generosity
08:27of spirit that lifted those around him. His legacy isn't just the awards or the
08:35work he created or the projects he directed, it's in the lives he touched,
08:40the lessons he taught and the love that he shared so freely. As we lay our
08:50brother to rest today, let us carry with us Benny's spirit in our own lives. Let us
08:58be gentle, generous, loving, kind and wise. Let us be the person others turn to in
09:07times of need, just as Benny was for so many. And let us find comfort in knowing
09:14that though he is no longer with us in body, his spirit lives on in the hearts
09:19of all who knew and loved him. May Benny rest in the eternal peace of Christ. May
09:29we find solace in the promise that we one day will go and be reunited with him
09:35because our true home is in heaven. May he rest in peace. May his soul and the
09:43souls of all the faithful departed, with the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.