Bray couple buried together after being found dead at home

James “Jamie” McGinn and his wife Bridget “Biddy” O’Brien were laid to rest on Tuesday, rejoining their two children at Springfield Cemetery in Bray.

The couple died at their home in the Cois Cairn estate on Old Connaught Avenue in Bray, Co. Wicklow, on Wednesday, October 21. They were found dead together. Their previous loss of children, Holly, 3, and Jordan, 4, occurred in a house fire in 2017. O’Brien was the sole survivor of that incident and suffered severe burns that kept her in the hospital for weeks. She could not attend the funerals of her children at that time.

O’Kelly, the Bray parish priest, said the family is facing another wave of grief almost ten years after the first tragedy. He described the couple as a constant presence at their children’s graves. O’Kelly stated that the family has suffered more than any family should. He noted that O’Ginn’s hold on life remained fragile, though his work in a roofing company gave him focus. The priest encouraged the congregation to remember the couple embracing their children, saying love is stronger than death.

Hundreds of people gathered outside St Anne’s Church in Shankill to welcome the two hearses. O’Kelly and Shankill parish priest Fr. Emmet O’Hara celebrated the Mass. A set of tools, a radio, and two Bibles were placed on the casket to represent McGinn’s faith, his manual skills, and the couple’s shared love of music. O’Kelly said he learned about their personalities and struggles by speaking with relatives. He said O’Ginn never fully returned to the joyful person she was before the fire, but she never lost her kindness. McGinn was described as someone who would do anything for anyone.

Michael McGinn, the father of the deceased, wrote an obituary recalling sailing trips with his son. He called McGinn a wonderful crew member and noted his natural curiosity about how things were made. McGinn said his son watched bricklayers and carpenters work, taking everything in. He was proud of how his son turned that interest into real skills. Michael McGinn wrote that he and his wife will hold the memory of their son in their hearts forever. He asked that the couple rest in peace together.

The funeral took place at St Anne’s Church. The casket carried items representing the couple’s lives. The congregation listened to the priest’s words about their grief and love. The couple was buried at Springfield Cemetery. Their children, Holly and Jordan, were already interred there. The family marked the end of a decade of mourning with this shared funeral. The event brought together the community of Bray and Shankill to honor the couple’s memory.