Funerals held for drowned cousins

The funerals have taken place for two teenage cousins whose canoe capsized in the North at the weekend.

The funerals have taken place for two teenage cousins whose canoe capsized in the North at the weekend.

A joint funeral Mass was be held in Castlewellan, Co Down, near the lake where cousins and best friends Rory McAlinden (18) and Claire Steele (16) died at around 1am on Saturday.

The best guard of honour is to love and respect your own precious life, and to vow never to cause your parents and family the grief we have in this parish and in these two families today
Fr Sean Cahill

Divers found the pair 30 feet from land, lying next to each other below the surface after a 10-hour search.

Team-mates at St Malachy's Gaelic Athletic Club formed a guard of honour at the funeral service. Both were keen footballers and played for the club.

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The small town came to a standstill as the two coffins were carried side by side down the main street, flanked by grieving relatives and team mates from St Malachy's.

A priest at the funeral pleaded to other young people today not to sacrifice their lives.

Fr Sean Cahill said: "The best guard of honour is to love and respect your own precious life, and to vow never to cause your parents and family the grief we have in this parish and in these two families today."

PA