Death of Ashbourne Station Officer Ciaran Finn

News of the passing of Ciaran Finn, Station Officer with Ashbourne Fire Service, has been greeted with widespread sadness in the local community and across the county.

Ciaran of Tudor Close, Ashbourne, passed away peacefully at his home yesterday (Thursday), after an illness.

He was a member of Ashbourne Fire Service for 25 years and was appointed station officer of the new fire service established in 1999 to cater for the growing town.

Ciaran was a strong advocate for improved pay and conditions for retained firefighters and as SIPTU union representative led the campaign in Meath during a dispute that saw firefighters across Meath's seven stations take to the picket line in series of strikes last Summer.

In 2013, he was the recipient of the 'Dad of the Year' award at the 'Rehab People of the ear Awards' for "his dedication to going above and beyond for his children and teaching them skills in a novel and fun way".

Ciaran is survived by his wife Yvonne, children Onòra, Cianàn, Darragh and Aoife, parents Teresa and Bob, mother and father-in-law Moyra and Luke McGuinness, brother, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, relatives, neighbours and friends and also his colleagues in the fire service.

His Funeral Mass will take place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Ashbourne, on Monday morning at 11am followed by a cremation service at Dardistown Crematorium.