There were tearful scenes in a Co Limerick village yesterday as hundreds of people gathered to say farewell to a 10-year-old boy who "touched so many people in his short life".
Andrew Fitzgerald, from Grange, Co Limerick, died in a freak accident last Thursday afternoon after goalposts collapsed on him at Holycross soccer club.
An only child, the 10-year-old boy was laid to rest yesterday following a Funeral Mass at his parish church where, exactly a week earlier, he helped serve Mass as an altar boy.
Hundreds of mourners packed Grange Church for the Funeral Mass, with at least 300 more people standing outside. Members of Andrew's rugby, soccer and local GAA teams formed a guard of honour at the Mass, which was concelebrated by seven priests.
Chief celebrant, Father Joe Foley, gave a special mention to an aunt of 10-year-old Lee Lucchesi, from Dundalk, who travelled to Limerick with a friend especially for the funeral.
Ten-year-old Lee died in similar circumstances last summer when a crossbar from a goalpost collapsed and struck him on the head during a soccer match at the Navan Town team's football ground.
During yesterday's homily Father Foley said the death of a child in a freak accident "beggars our understanding".
"This church has seen many sad and tragic funerals, but few can have been as profoundly sad and sorrowful as the funeral which sees us gathered here today. The death of a child in any circumstances is an occasion of great sorrow, but a death that is the result of a freak accident simply beggars our understanding," Father Foley said.
"What kind of a God would allow a young healthy child to be snatched so cruelly from a loving and devoted family? Does he care? Is he there at all?
"To answer these questions all you have to do is look at the figure of crucified Christ and remember his words on the cross: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me'?" The parish priest went on the describe Andrew as a child who made an impression on so many people.
"Andy touched so many people in his short life. All the people he came in contact with, in particular the sports clubs, his local school, and even here in the church where he served Mass with Father Jim and myself.
"Andy always made an impression even with the people he met for the first time, like last week," Father Foley said.
Andrew was laid to rest in a cemetery on the grounds of Grange Church.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Ireland has withdrawn the use of target nets used in soccer camps following last Thursday's tragic accident. An FAI spokesman said they were not aware of any safety concerns about the piece of equipment at the moment but "as a mark of respect we will not use it in the immediate future".