THE FUNERAL will take place this morning of a Wexford man who collapsed and died at his home in Spain 10 days ago.
Ollie Walsh (33), originally from Wolfe Tone Villas in Wexford town, collapsed last Saturday week in the apartment near Marbella that he shared with his Romanian girlfriend.
Mr Walsh is the brother of Olympic boxing coach Billy Walsh. He was a former Leinster boxing champion and two years ago also won a national kick-boxing title.
The dead man was known to gardaí in Wexford and was wanted for questioning over the armed robbery of a chip shop in Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, last year.
One man was jailed for his role in the robbery but Mr Walsh left the country as the Garda investigation was continuing. A family spokesman yesterday dismissed reports that weapons had been found at Mr Walsh’s apartment in Spain after his death. Local reports also suggested a number of false passports, all with Mr Walsh’s photograph but under different names, had been found at the property. The spokesman said the family had not been contacted by the Spanish authorities about the matter and believed the allegations were groundless.
“The first thing we knew about it was when we read a report in the paper. If there was anything sinister to his death I don’t think the remains would have been released to the family so quickly.”
The spokesman added that Mr Walsh’s family had not been told the cause of death. He said Mr Walsh had been out socialising with his partner last Friday week.
The following morning he complained of feeling unwell and collapsed. An ambulance was called and paramedics tried to revive Mr Walsh, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
He will be buried this morning in St Ibar’s cemetery, Crosstown, after 11am Mass at the Church of the Assumption, Bride Street, Wexford town.
