Tragic teen's final call to father
The family of Derek Cumiskey including his parents John and Ann leaving his funeral Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish at City Quay yesterday
Friday August 17 2007
But 18-year-old Derek was always the "typical teenager" according to his family.
And like thousands of other youngsters he was enjoying a holiday abroad in the sun to celebrate the end of his exams and escape the miserable Irish summer.
Just like most youngsters abroad he had overdone it on the mobile phone and a lack of credit was his only care in the world when he rang his family from Lanzarote on the evening of August 1.
As the two chatted about his holidays, his father could not have imagined that within a few hours he would receive another call bearing the desperate news that his youngest child had been attacked with an iron bar.
Derek died after the attack as he returned from a night out at the holiday resort where he was staying, Puerto del Carmen.
At Derek's funeral in Dublin yesterday, his family wept as they told of their disbelief that their "baby boy" was gone.
They told how the Man-chester United fan was "great at football" and full of fun, a devoted uncle, brother and son -- the words that were spelled out in flowers around Derek's coffin.
"You were always so good at home and at school," read the poem.
"You were never in trouble, you never even broke a rule."
His popularity was demonstrated by the large number of teachers and school friends from St Augustine's School in Blackrock who attended to pay their last respects at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on City Quay.
To his parents, Anne and John, and siblings Karen, Martina, Joanne and John he was always seen as a much-loved little brother.
"When you were born you were so tiny and small," said the poem.
"Who would have known you'd grow up so tall?"
Parish priest Father Paul St John said that for the family to see a young man cut down in the prime of his life was especially hard.
"The Lord didn't intend for Derek to die in the way that he did, but it was his time to be called.
"Derek is a happy man now. He has got his feet up and the best view in the house.
"He's not as far as you think."
But he told the family: "You probably won't be hearing me at all. The grief is too intense and it takes time.
"Derek went off to enjoy himself in Spain, and you did not expect this to happen."Music at the funeral included The Hollies' 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' and the coffin was carried out to 'Missing You', the rap version of the Sting classic 'Every Breath You Take', which was rewritten by Puff Daddy to remember his dead friend Notorious BIG.
Derek was a huge rap fan whose Bebo website was plastered with pictures of Tupak Shakur and other musical heroes.
A double decker Dublin Bus was privately hired to carry the mourners to Shanganagh Cemetery where Derek was buried after yesterday's mass.
Spanish police have arrested one man but are still seeking three others in connection with the assault.
The family was frustrated in the delay in getting Derek's body home for burial as authorities in Spain removed some of his organs for laboratory analysis.
His sister Joanne, 27, said "It feels like Derek has been killed twice."
