Alleged stabbing victim Marius Mamaliga (19) was ‘true gentleman’, funeral hears

Marius Tudor Mamaliga (19) was laid to rest after his funeral today at St Finian’s Church in Swords, Co Dublin.

Mr Mamaliga died last week after he was allegedly stabbed in the neck while sitting in his car in Swords on February 23.

Two days after the incident, a young man was charged with causing severe harm to Mr Mamaliga.

Mr Mamaliga was a champion taekwondo practitioner, winning multiple prizes in Ireland and internationally, and his funeral heard he had led a “beautiful life”.

Mourners, friends and family heard he was “a true gentleman”. His family donated his organs after his death giving “hope and life to a number of other people”.

A close friend highlighted Mr Mamaliga’s kind nature and gentle manner, saying what made him so special and genuine was that “bringing people joy is what made him truly happy”.

“There was never a dull moment or a bad memory when you were with him. He had the ability to instantly lighten the mood and in a matter of seconds have you smiling. His aura beamed happiness in life.

"Marius was a determined, strong and passionate boy, he was hard working - at one time working two jobs to accomplish his goal of buying his own car at 18 years of age.”

Fr Des Doyle said: “The horrific events that unfolded in our mist, the cruel death of Marius, only 19, the pain and loss of families who want only the best for their children – all of that brings us face to face with the deepest mysteries of life and death, of good and evil.

“Marius grew up in the new Ireland. His generation was formed by the culture that surrounds us today. It’s a culture of abundance in terms of material things. But somehow in terms of the deeper things – things of the spirit, what it offers our young people seems so poor and so empty. So we find ourselves today in a place of seemingly growing hopelessness among so many of our young people.

"A growing number of what sociologists call priceless deaths among our young people. And more and more suffering and pain for families and parents.

“And so, when it comes to this, we are violently forced to confront these bigger questions of life and death. The answers that the surrounding culture gives to us, the explanations it gives seem more and more threadbare and more and more hollow.”

Mr Mamaliga’s brother, David, said he would also like to thank Marius for bringing him to the gym “so we could become beasts together”.

He added: “Marius, I want to thank you for being the best big brother ever and for always taking care of me. I’m so glad I got to spend 16 years of my life following someone as special as you.”

Mr Mamaliga is survived by his parents Inga and Victor, brother David, grandmother Zina, grandfather Vasile, cousins, aunts, uncles and extended family.