A large crowd gathered for the funeral yesterday of Liam O'Regan (18) in the tiny chapel of St James in Ballinora, near Ballincollig, Co Cork. The church overlooks the pitch where Mr O'Regan died on Monday night as he played a minor league hurling match.
His funeral was attended by young people from the Ballinora GAA club but many more had travelled from the nearby countryside and city to pay tribute to their former classmate at Coláiste An Spioraid Naomh in Bishopstown. The young man finished his Leaving Cert two weeks ago.
Inside the chapel his coffin was draped in the colours of his club, red and green. Outside, the Ballinora flag was hung alongside the Kilkenny colours, the county of Mr O'Regan's family.
Canon Donal Linehan gave an impassioned homily, paying tribute and celebrating the life of the dead man. "Liam set himself very high standards and he believed that anything was possible," he said. He was "witty and intelligent and loyal - more than anything, he loved life with a passion. He touched every person he came in contact with in a very special way. Liam had a passion for life, to be in the action, to be in the fullness of living.
"It was the privilege of his family and his special friends to experience the way he gave himself so generously, the way he would help people in study and in coaching."
Canon Linehan said Mr O'Regan's happiest years were spent in Coláiste An Spioraid Naomh, where he was "a born leader". Among the gifts at the offertory procession were a hurley and sliotar, school books, his iPod and a copy of Amhrána BhFiann, symbolising his love of the Irish language.
John Brosnan, chairman of Ballinora GAA club said: "There was no more a natural thing than for Liam to play hurling, he loved it."
Attending the funeral was GAA national president Nicky Brennan, who is a close friend of Mr O'Regan's father, Michael.
After Mass, clubmates and classmates formed a guard of honour outside the church as the coffin was carried the short distance to the cemetery.