Community traumatised by player's death

The small rural community of Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny, was in mourning last night as it prepared for the removal ceremony today of Michael Byrne, who died suddenly during a soccer match on Sunday.

Aged 29, he collapsed while playing football on the same pitch where his younger brother died in almost identical circumstances 15 months ago.

Mr Byrne, from Ballykeefe, was playing for his local team, River Rangers, on Sunday afternoon when he fell suddenly to the ground. Despite resuscitation attempts by team mates and a nurse and doctor attending the match, he was pronounced dead at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, just one hour later.

Mr Byrne, described as a tall, fit young man, was not known to have had any medical conditions. His brother Ken died in June 2004, however, after suffering a sudden cardiac episode while also playing football.

"It's an unimaginable tragedy. Not only did it happen on the same pitch, it happened at almost the same part on the pitch where Ken died," local curate Fr Thomas McGree said yesterday.

Both Michael and Ken's twin, David (27), had been assessed by a Dublin heart specialist after their brother's death and given the "all-clear" to continue playing sport, Fr McGree said.

"That's the angry part with a lot of people here - that Michael and Ken's twin David were seen by the doctor in Dublin, that they were given the go-ahead to continue playing sport."

Mr Byrne had been badly shaken by his younger brother's death and Fr McGree had encouraged him to become more involved in the football club to help him overcome his grief.

"The football really helped to get him out of himself after Ken died, but having encouraged him to do it, I can't help but blame myself for what happened."

David Byrne had been playing on the same team as his brothers during both tragedies. "It's terrible that young man has had to watch both his brothers die, and he's a great chap."

Mr Byrne's death is the third tragedy to strike the family in recent times. His father Jackie died earlier this year following a long illness.

"It's a terrible time for the family, for David, his mother Carmel and his sister Ann, but this is a great parish, there's great solidarity in the way people here bond together over something like this," Fr McGree said.

Local Fine Gael councillor and family friend Tom Maher said Mr Byrne's death was "absolutely unconscionable".

"They are the nicest most honourable family you could possibly meet. What has happened is beyond words."

The secretary of the River Rangers club, Gerry Dunne, told RTÉ news yesterday of the team's reaction.

"Once is a nightmare, twice I don't think there are words to describe it to be perfectly honest. The young men who played yesterday, and played with Ken down along . . . they're not just team mates, they're friends as well."