FRIENDS OF DONEGAL teenager Conor Boyle from his GAA and boxing clubs will form a guard of honour at his funeral in Annagry today, and will help carry his coffin to the village’s cemetery afterwards.
The 18-year-old died in hospital in England earlier this month, two weeks after sustaining serious head injuries in a car crash. He was moved to a specialist neurological hospital in Cambridge, but passed away a week ago last Friday.
Conor’s funeral will take place at 1pm at the Star of the Sea Church in Annagry today, with burial afterwards in the village’s ‘new’ cemetery.
“What we plan to do, along with Rosses boxing club where Conor was a member, is form a guard of honour in the grounds of the church in advance of the service,” Children’s Officer at Naomh Mhuire GAA club Donal Sharkey told TheJournal.ie.
Sharkey said it was expected that Conor’s friends would also carry his coffin “the last 300 yards or so” to his graveside.
“The idea is for lads his own age to take the lead and to keep swapping until we get him there,” Sharkey said.
Hundreds are expected to turn out for this afternoon’s funeral. Sharkey said the mood around the club since the news of Conor’s death had been “sombre”. He added:
“The kids are coping well, you would think — but it’s hard to know.”
Conor had been working in England after completing his Leaving Cert back in June. He was returning home from work when his car hit a tree in the early hours of 8 September.
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