Janey Godley forgave a large number of people ahead of her death – but she still singled out Donald Trump for harsh criticism. During the comedian’sfuneral service this morning, a priest opened up on the conversations he had had with Janey in her later days.
Hundreds of mourners wearing bright colours gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral, Great Western Road, Glasgow on Saturday morning to say their final goodbyes to the late comic.
And the Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, told of his meetings with Janey, who passed away after a battle with ovarian cancer earlier this month. At the service, Rev Holdsworth mentioned one particularly funny conversation he had with Janey had about the controversial American President-elect.
Speaking during her service, he said: “Janey, knowing that she was dying, was making lists of people to forgive and that is what real religion and real humanity is made out of. Janey had a great deal to forgive, bad things had been done to her, I asked her how she was going to do that.
“She said she was going to forgive everyone, including everyone who was going to be at the funeral because her love was bigger than anything that anyone could have done to her and by the way that’s a lot of love.
“I said ‘Really Janey? Everyone? Can you really forgive everyone? She said ‘yes everyone’, I said ‘what about American politics? Have you changed your mind on that?’ Friends, Janey Godley died having forgiven everyone but she still believed to her dying day that Trump is a country mile away from anyone who should come near to power.”
The priest’s comments had mourners in fits of laughter as they remembered Janey’s viral ‘Trump is a c***’ protest. The comedian was one of many people who gathered to protest at Trump’s Turnberry golf course in 2018.
In typical fashion, Janey arrived at the demonstration wielding a poster containing her famed flowery language. It was one of the exploits that put her on the map, gaining global attention.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Still Game’s Gavin Mitchell, River City’s Tom Urie and comic Susie McCabe were amongst those in attendance to pay tribute to Janey, who tragically passed away at the Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow on November 2 following a battle with ovarian cancer.
Janey’s daughter Ashley Storrie, who is also a comedian, gave a moving eulogy in which she spoke beautifully about her mum’s incredible life.
After telling stories of her memories of Janey, Ashley concluded: “She was a comedian, that was her thing first and foremost, she tried acting, she hated it, she was a terrible singer, she couldny knit, she tried, there’s pictures of Liam Neeson with a hideous scarf to prove it.
“But what she was, was a comedian so for one last time as I sit back down can you please put your hands together for my ma, Janey Godley.”
Those that had gathered within the cathedral then gave Janey one final standing ovation, as an emotional Ashley was comforted by loved ones in the front row. Yesterday, the star was accompanied by a 100-strong female choir and best pal Shirley Doig as she made a “final tour” of Edinburgh.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.