The funeral of a teenager who loved football and had plans to travel to South Africa before he was tragically killed when an escooter he was on was in collision with a bus has taken place in Waterford.
Avu Idris (17), who died along with his friend Gilbert Collins (15) in the crash, had just completed his Leaving Cert. Mourners at the Maranatha Christian Community Church in Poleberry heard how Avu was a leader and a shining example to others.
His mother Priscilla said she “thanked God for giving me Avu and for caring for him for 17 years”.
“In life I have learned that there are some bad and good days, this was the worst and saddest day in my life...Avu, tears won’t bring you back because I’ve cried. I’ve cried and cried. Avu loved football and he lived football. He always wanted to see his team winning, and he would be screaming at his team-mates because he wanted them to win.”
Actor and comedian Jon Kenny, ‘an entertainer to his core’, dies aged 66
Katie Taylor narrowly defeats Amanda Serrano in brutal contest
Irish soldiers prevented from leaving Lebanon after drunken airport fight
I’ve read what Trump’s trade tsar says about the ‘tiny island nation’ of Ireland. It’s not good
She was going to miss “his smile, his jokes, and our arguments”.
“We always argued about doing his laundry and his habit of missing the bus. I’ll think of all the good times we had with Avu. Go well, my son, I’ll always love you.”
His sister Noora said his words would “encourage me, lift me up in life...I will forever love you.”
As his funeral cortege, flanked by a guard of honour from Villa Football Club and De La Salle Community College, made its final journey to Kilbarry Cemetery, tears were wiped from many faces as the Maranatha Youth group sang behind the hearse.
The funeral of his friend Gilbert Collins took place on Tuesday.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis