Sincere Thanks
Andrew Neill
21st September 1981 - 12th July 2009
On behalf of the Neill and Turtle families, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who sympathised and supported us on our recent and so unexpected bereavement.
Heartfelt thanks go to the MCUI Medical Team who were with Andrew, I know he was in the best possible hands and that you did everything you could, but the miracle we needed was not to be. To Dr Fred McSorley for spending so much time with us at the hospital and in our home, your knowledge and kind words brought so much comfort when we needed it most. To those at Mullingar Hospital, to the staff and attending Garda Officers, to our friends who came to be with us and to those who took care of things in the paddock, Thank You.
Thanks to our friends and neighbours, and to everyone who helped in our home during the wake, to all who visited, telephoned, brought gifts and brought or sent the most beautiful cards and letters. Your support was overwhelming and so very much appreciated. Thank you to the Fore Motor Cycle Racing Club and Injured Riders Welfare Fund in particular. Thank you to everyone who took the time to post heartfelt tributes to Andrew on various websites and in publications, racing or otherwise, you did him proud.
Sincere thanks to the Undertakers, especially Keith at Fred Martin & Sons, who carried out the funeral arrangements with great dignity and understanding, and to the grave diggers. Thanks to all who spent time with us to get things just right, to Eddie from ES Print for the Order of Service and to Roisin McGuckin for the beautiful floral tributes.
Thank you to Colin McWhirter and Northland Motorcycle Club for escorting Andrew home and to his funeral, and all for traffic control. Thanks to the Marshall’s Association and Dungannon & District Motorcycle Club for their Guards of Honour. Thank you to everyone who travelled from far and near to attend Andrew’s funeral and pay their respects. We so appreciate you being there.
Special thanks to Rev David Brown for the lovely Service of Thanksgiving, to the MCUI Chaplain Rev John Kirkpatrick for taking part, and to Colin Walker. Thank you for your very fitting tributes to Andrew. Thanks to Uncle Kenneth (Rev McReynolds) for taking part in the service in our home, and to all who remember us in prayer. Thank you to all in Eglish and Eglish Presbyterian Church, to those who gave up their space for car and bike parking, and to all for their efficient stewarding of Andrew’s funeral. Thanks to Cecil Reid for relaying the service for all to be a part of. Thank you to Margaret Buchanan, our organist, and to Ann Millar and the ladies of the Church who provided the food, it was very much appreciated. Thank you to everyone who made donations to support the MCUI Medical Team and the Injured Riders Welfare Fund, two very worthy causes.
I want to say a Massive thank you to everyone who supported Andrew in any way throughout his racing career. To those who believed in him, who waved programmes from the hedgerows or gave words of encouragement in the paddock, and especially to those who sponsored him in whatever capacity through the years. It is not possible to name everyone but you know who you are and you should be very proud. Thank you to his teams, to Moira Motorcycle Racing Club and to D&GW Racing. Thank you all for making it possible for Andrew to achieve all that he did in the sport that he loved.
And lastly but by no means least, to our road race family. We would not have gotten through without your unending love and support. Thank you. We will always need you and know that you will always be there for us.
I trust this acknowledgement is accepted by all as a token of our sincere appreciation.
Sharon Neill
