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Ged Farrell

Ged, as his friends knew him, a founder member of St. Dunstan's Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (Moston), passed away suddenly on the 11th April 2001.

His Requiem Mass at St Dunstan's church was as magnificent as many of the 100 performances he appeared in on stage as friends and relatives from as far as Guernsey paid tribute to him in a celebration of his life.

Among the mourners were Wilf McGuiness, former England footballer and Manchester United player and manager, Pat O'Hare, a popular ballad singer, and Kevin Neale, former lead guitarist in the Karl Denver Trio and currently a member of the New Bachelors.

The singing from the packed church was of the quality one could expect of a Requiem attended by friends and colleagues from his beloved operatic society and soloist Margaret Turkington opened with Faure's beautiful Pie Jesu.

His Requiem took place two days before the opening of the operatic society's production of "Music Man" one of the very few productions Ged failed to take part in due to his recent illness.

The Reverend Fr Michael Kujacz paid generous and fitting tribute to his life and work prior to committal at Blackley Crematorium.

Ged was born in St. Malachy's Parish in Collyhurst and moved up to Blackley with his family in 1939 were he attended Mount Carmel School. He joined St Dunstan's Youth Club on leaving school at the age of 14 and was
to become apprenticed as a coach painter at the soft drink manufacturer "Tizer". He was a life-long active trade unionist and member of the Labour Party.

Lifelong friend Bill Risby paid tribute to a man of 'unswerving ideals and loyalty'.

Bill said: "Ged's acting and singing skills were legendary and his ability to learn and remember his lines for the many parts he played were in strange contrast to his uncanny and consistent habit of forgetting the punch line to many of the jokes he would attempt to tell. He will be sadly missed by his friends and colleagues, none more than I, whose friendship goes back 61 years."

Ged is survived by his wife Lillian and his two sisters Nora and Monica and many nephews and nieces. Our sympathy goes to Lillian and all his family.

Gerard Farrell 29th September 1930 - 11th April 2001

May he rest in peace.