More than 1,000 mourners gathered in a Co Carlow sports gymnasium yesterday for a memorial service to a soccer player who died earlier this week, nine days after collapsing during a soccer game in Tullow.
Mr Paul Kirwan (18), Kilbride, Co Carlow, died at Beaumont hospital in Dublin on Monday. On December 20th, Paul, who played for Parkville United youths, collapsed during a local match. He was brought to St Luke's County Hospital in Kilkenny and later transferred to Beaumont.
A student of sport and recreation at Carlow Institute of Further Education, he was one of four children of Pat and Anne Kirwan.
He was the second young soccer Carlow player to die under similar circumstances in just over a month. In late November, Jonathan Cummins (13) from Borris, Co Carlow, collapsed and died while playing with his local club, Killoughternane.
Yesterday's hour-long memorial service was held in the gymnasium of Tullow Community School where Paul had been a past pupil. It was a celebration of the young sportsman's life by the Hacketstown Christian Centre in Co Carlow. Mr Fergus Ryan, pastor of the Trinity Church, Dublin, conducted the service which consisted of hymns, scripture readings, prayers, appreciations of Paul and a homily.
He is survived by his parents, brother and two sisters. Burial took place in Ballon cemetery yesterday with players from Parkville United and Burren Celtic forming a guard of honour.