London – A former Irish soldier’s humorous recorded message has inspired a viral video after it was played from his coffin at his funeral to lift the sombre mood among mourners.
Shay Bradley, who died last week, recorded the message about one year ago, his family said.
The video shows many mourners laughing at the end of Saturday’s funeral in Dublin as they hear knocking sounds and Bradley’s voice saying: “Hello, hello, hello… Let me out!
“Let me out, it’s dark in here,’’ Bradley adds, asking: “Is that that priest I can hear.’’
His daughter, Andrea Bradley, who posted the video on Facebook, said the prank was her father’s dying wish.
“Ya got them good Poppabear and gave us all a laugh just when we needed it! I will love you forever,’’ she wrote.
She added the hashtag #shayslastlaugh, which trended on Twitter and Facebook on Monday.
The dead man’s son, Jonathan Bradley, told Irish national broadcaster RTE that the family had planned the prank about a year ago.
“We decided to first give everybody a bit of a laugh at the very end of a sombre ceremony,’’ he said.
“It was one of my dad’s wishes that my mother wouldn’t be too upset when the funeral came to an end.’’
Jonathan Bradley told RTE Radio 1 that he had doubts about playing the recording “but I’m glad we did now.’’
“My dad recorded a little farewell message into my phone as a prank to friends and family, to make everybody laugh,’’ he said. “It’s the kind of character he was.’’
(NAN)