May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young."
- Bob Dylan
Obituary
Our beloved Garry died on Thursday, 16th July 2026. He passed away suddenly, but peacefully, in his apartment in Berlin, aged 54, while having one of his regular catch-ups on the phone with his sister Paula at the time it happened. He had commented how the sun was shining in through the window on his face while he sat there enjoying a beer and the chats. Happy out.
Travelling had been a huge part of Garry's life for many years in his 20s and 30s. He had spent over a decade adventuring around the globe, and a significant chunk of that time with one of his friends, Russell. The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are places he loved and had incredible stories from. He loved his time working in a flower factory in Andijk, Holland, and also worked in bars anywhere he could to help fund his travels. It was his time working as a TEFL English teacher to children in Southeast Asia that impacted him the most, and he always said Laos was his favourite country on the planet.
However, it was Berlin that he chose to put down his roots and call home. It was his friend Nicole who persuaded him to move there after she mentioned he would definitely land a job as a chef there. There was no work for chefs in Cork at the time because of the recession. That was 17 years ago. And even though he loved to come home and see us every year and catch up with all his family and friends in Ireland, he was at his happiest in Berlin. He had no intention of ever leaving. He loved his life there, his many friends, working as a chef, and attending as many concerts as possible, and his wallet allowed!
He adored his apartment, which he loved to admit he rented at a really good price because he'd been in the building for so long. He had just finished renovating his kitchen, which his friend and neighbour Seamus had helped him build, and was really proud of it. The kitchen was another space he loved to spend time in, cooking for his own pleasure and his passion for food. He'd often buy a cookbook to learn some new recipes or cooking techniques purely for his own enjoyment. Music played loudly while he did so, of course.
Garry had moved into the apartment building at Fontane Straße 25 with his friend Pauric in an apartment on a lower floor and had moved up to the top floor over the years. There's a gorgeous view from his balcony of the sunset and the trees in the park across the street. The cover photo above was taken in that park: Volkspark Hasenheide. He loved nothing more than chilling on the sofa with a beer, watching Leeds United play football – he was a loyal lifetime supporter – or listening to music on his record player. His vinyl collection had reached epic proportions; he had to stop himself from buying more, but that's what he always ended up doing.
Garry wasn't religious; he was an atheist. Yet, he was spiritual in his own way and very philosophical. He loved a good debate about the world and the meaning of everything, and always had words of wisdom to bring to every conversation.
It's safe to say that music was his religion. He worshipped bands and musicians from every era and genre of music. His taste was alternative, and while he was always open to listening to anything, he had his firm favourites. Concerts were a regular fixture in his calendar. Just a couple of weeks before he died, he went to see one of his all-time favourite artists (not for the first time), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with his friend Dermot.
He loved meeting family and friends when they would visit Berlin, and so many did. He was proud to be a local and a great man for restaurant recommendations or things to do in the city. He loved being a tour guide for a day, and had seen all of Berlin's landmarks numerous times. Garry would usually bring visitors to The Lír, a pub and restaurant he worked in for years, and definitely a place he felt at home: his local.
Anyone who knew him would agree: Garry was the most laid-back, chilled, happy person they'd ever come across. He liked to take life in his stride and take it slowly, appreciating every moment, and so many laughs along the way. "Always smiling" is a description that so many have used to describe him and the happy energy he would bring with him everywhere he went. He'll be remembered for his giggle in conversations and his perfectly timed wit and humour that never failed to make people laugh.
He was our son, brother, uncle, brother-in-law, nephew, cousin, and friend. Having him in our lives was a gift we’ll always cherish. We’ll miss him more than words can say. 💔
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We've set up this online tribute page because Garry travelled extensively over the years and has many friends and family around the globe. We thought it would be nice to have one central place for people to share stories, photos, and videos of him and pay tributes to him. Please feel free to add yours to the gallery, timeline, or memory wall.
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Rest in peace my dear Garry.
Big hug to the family and friends who loved him.
A kindred spirit I met that day; gregarious and generous, curious and kind. A lovely man. The world will be far less without him.
I met Garry when he first started at Lehmbrucks, and over the years we ended up having so many conversations. Somehow, it was always easy to go from talking about coffee to talking about life. He was open, kind, genuinely interested, and always so positive. You could feel that he truly enjoyed connecting with people.
The last time I saw him was the day before I left for my vacation. He made me an early morning coffee, and we chatted like we always did. I told him I had a layover in Dublin, we wished each other well, and that was it. The next day, I received the heartbreaking news that he was gone.
I am still in shock. I haven’t been back to Lehmbrucks since then. A part of me still expects to walk in and see Garry behind the counter with his warm smile.It still doesn’t feel real.
Garry, wherever you are now, I hope you know how many lives you touched just by being yourself. Thank you for every conversation, every smile, and every morning coffee. You will be deeply missed by so many people.
My heartfelt condolences go to your family, your friends, your colleagues at Lehmbrucks, and to everyone who had the privilege of meeting you along your beautiful, colorful journey.
May you rest in peace, Garry. You will not be forgotten. I will prost to you with my next Beer.
Garry was such a nice guy, condolences to the extended Laffan family, rest in peace Garry.
And very 😢 sad! The day before, we talked at Lehmbrucks about the weather in Irland and the f… climate change. He said : what will come next? The world ist just like a sunny-side up egg!
We laughed! HE laughed und was in a very good mood these days.
He was always!!!! Kind and a smart but calm person!
It was possible to talk with him only with eyes and face .
I liked him and I am still looking at the kitchen at Lehmbrucks and think… he have to come now out and bring me my food …
Unbelievable that life can change sooo quick !
RIP
Joachim
That's when i met Garry at Backpax hostel where some of is very good friends hang or work there. I'm thinking of Julien and Pauric.
I was a little bit on the older side of the costumers there, like Garry, i was 31 and i met Garry and for me he became family right away.
I remember he was in the process for immigration to Germany. We went out and drank together like we knew each other since childhood. In day time we were talking about food and history, go out to eat good food.
At the end of this trip, the last day, it was a rainy sad day, i didn't want to leave and Garry had to go to some place to register for German class if i remember good. So i went with him and just sat there with him in the waiting room.
I loved that moment.
After that, just before I left, i gave him my bicycle that i got on my first trip and managed to keep it there.
It was a east German bicycle, Diamant was the brand.
It was in bad shape but he used it for a while.
I went back to Berlin after that over the years and he was now having is own place to live coz if i remember good he was living at Backpax hostel when i met him.
I had the chance to introduce my wife to him and they became friends right away.
So he hosted me and my wife in his apartment.
We went to the Lir restaurant where he's chef.
We had the best meal ever.
My wife got fish and chips and i got sheperds pie.
We went back to see him couple years later.. always amazing time with him.
I had the chance to host most of the people i met in Berlin at my place in Montreal but sadly i never got the chance to have him here.
If i remember good he told me he spent a good amount of time in the 90's in Canada, London Ontario..
Anyway, its a very sad loss, me and my wife miss him a lot but will remember him forever. So many good memories, photos and videos with him.
Love you Garry!
I attended both Roscrea Boys National School and Roscrea Vocational School with Garry. Everything I have read and heard is a perfect reflection of who Garry was.
What I remember most is his smile and distinctive laugh, something that seems to be a common thread in the many tributes shared in his memory. As an avid traveller myself during the 1990s, I can truly appreciate the joy, happiness, and richness that travel brought to his life.
My sincere condolences to all of Garry's family and friends during this difficult time.
Paul Wright
Canada
Officially my brother in law - in my heart brother.
I had the privilege of knowing Garry for 27yrs, from day one he welcomed me into the Laffan family with kindness & warmth.
Garry was a quiet, gentle, soft spoken with a wonderful sense of humour.
He was incredibly well travelled and I loved when he recalled his memories/stories from far away fields.
He loved reading, music and was a fellow devoted Leeds United supporter.
We were lucky to visited him in Berlin many times, no matter how busy he was he always made time to be our tour guide, proudly showing us the city he loved.
Those trips created memories that I will treasure forever.
The only time I recall Garry raising his voice was while we watched our beloved Leeds United, his passion for the club was infectious, i will recall with a smile our chats about the ups and downs of Leeds.
Garry thank you for your kindness, friendship & generosity and for making me feel part of the family. You touched so many lived simply by being yourself
Garry I will hold you close to my heart forever. (Marching On Together)
Rest peacefully Garry.
"I met Garry pretty much as soon as he arrived in Berlin. We clicked instantly; he was someone I got on with right away. We shared a similar taste in music, which led us to many fantastic concerts together – Neil Young at the Waldbühne was one I'll never forget. He was always so easy to talk to and got on amazingly well with my entire family. I still have some books he gave me for my birthday that I haven't read yet. I'll read them now! He was such a sound person and always someone I’d meet up with when I needed a beer and a chat. X
Garry was that guy who would show you things you would never have heard of otherwise. I’ll never forget the first time I visited his apartment in Berlin he put Dummy by Portishead on his record player, and it’s been a mainstay in my music rotation ever since. The Third Policeman is a book written by a former Irish civil servant who went under the pseudonym “Flann O’Brien”. He used this pseudonym as it was controversial at the time for a man in his position to write controversial or satirical material, this book was not published until after his death. Garry gifted me this book a couple of years ago. It’s bizarre, it’s hilarious, it’s scary and every time Garry would come visit, he’d relay some of the funniest lines from the book and his craziest theories about the ending. That book sits beside my bed, and I’ll cherish it.
Garry was laid back, he was incredibly down to earth, he was always present. In a time where the most difficult thing in the world to do is to be present, Garry was a master at it. If Garry had a cigarette and good company, nothing else really mattered.
He truly loved music and often talked about it. We always had something to talk about or share, and every conversation with him was enjoyable.
Garry was always smiling, calm, kind, and genuinely caring. He brought warmth and positivity wherever he went.
You will be deeply missed, Garry.
My heartfelt condolences to your family and loved ones.
Rest in peace.
What can I say? Not seeing him walk in, always right on time at 6:50 every morning, and making him his usual American coffee is something I already miss.
He was the kind of person who was full of stories—about his travels and the incredible concerts he had seen live, the kind that, for someone my age, almost seemed unreal. His stories captivated everyone at the café.
I loved talking to him about music. I knew the melodies, and he would tell me about “that time when…”. Listening to those memories was always exciting.
It was truly a pleasure to have known him.
One rainy evening, I saw him walking in the rain. I offered to share my umbrella and he gave me his infamous kind smile. That simple moment was the beginning of a good friendship.
I introduced him to Asian music and Bangladeshi curry, and we shared many good conversations and laughs often in the last train to Cork.
After returning to Ireland 16 years later, I often thought about calling him and meeting up the next time he was back in Ireland. Sadly, that opportunity will never come.
My deepest condolences to Gary's family and everyone who loved him.
Rest in peace, my friend. I will miss you and always cherish the memories we shared...
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