The parents of Robert Holohan attended a Mass at their parish church in Midleton, Co Cork, yesterday to mark the third anniversary of the 11 year old's death.
Majella and Mark Holohan attended the service at the Church of the Most Holy Rosary with their children Harry and Emma.
Robert was prayed for during the hour-long Mass, and members of the congregation sympathised with Mr and Mrs Holohan outside the church afterwards.
Wayne O'Donoghue, the engineering student who was convicted of Robert Holohan's manslaughter, is expected to move overseas following his release from the Midlands Prison later this month.
O'Donoghue's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, previously confirmed that his client would more than likely leave Ireland as it would be very difficult for him to have any meaningful life in this country.
The student had denied the murder of the young boy at Ballyedmond on January 4th, 2005, but he admitted manslaughter.
He insisted that Robert died accidentally after he placed him in a headlock and then caught him by the throat following a confrontation over O'Donoghue's refusal to drive the boy to McDonald's for a milk shake.
O'Donoghue received a four-year sentence for the manslaughter after being acquitted of the boy's murder.
The Holohan family wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions in protest at the four-year term, saying it was unduly lenient. But a subsequent DPP appeal was rejected by the Court of Criminal Appeal, which said the sentence was appropriate.