Tragic Donegal fan's funeral takes place today

Added: 30-08-2012 07:31:29

Large crowds-including mourners and GAA supporters are expected to turn out to attend the funeral mass of Andrew Duffy, which will take place today.

The 24-year-old from Termon drowned after slipping and falling into the Royal Canal near Binn’s Bridge near Phibsboro on Sunday night.

The general secretary of the GAA, Pauric Duffy, paid his respects to Andrew at his removal from the Mater Hospital on Tuesday.

The funeral procession was given a Garda and PSNI escort and it arrived in Golldrum, Termon, just after 9 o’clock on Tuesday night.

A number of GAA clubs paid their respects to Andrew as the procession made it’s way back to Donegal. A number of Monaghan clubs lined the streets as the hearse passed, while Bishop Liam McDaid, who hails from Bundoran, led the prayers in Monaghan.

A number of Donegal clubs performed a guard of honour as the cortege made its way back to Golldrum, including the Termon Ladies team, while Andrew’s team-mates joined the procession as it made its way home.

Termon GAA spokesman Hugh Harkin expressed the club's shock at the loss of such a promising young man:

"If you had to pick one person to embody all the positive things in Termon GAA club, Andrew Duffy would have been that person,"

"While scant consolation now, the last game of Gaelic football which Andrew saw between Donegal and Cork was one in which so many of the characteristics he himself brought to the game were on show: courage, skill, honesty and work rate were all evident in Croke Park and were always on display when Andrew wore the club colours."

A number of Donegal players and Donegal manager Jim McGuinness were among the crowds that called to the Duffy household to pay their respects to the young GAA player.

Andrew’s funeral Mass takes place at St Columba’s Church at 12 noon today.