The sacrifice of two young men who gave their lives to rescue a couple off west Cork 10 days ago and the community response in searching for them showed that human values still existed in modern Ireland, mourners were told at the funeral at one of the men yesterday.
Father John O'Callaghan paid tribute to Jonathan Herlihy (22), from Glanmire, Co Cork, and to Peter O'Keeffe (36), from Ovens, Co Cork.
The two perished while rescuing Cliona Murphy and Lee Cooley from the sea at Owenahincha strand in west Cork on September 3rd.
Father O'Callaghan told almost 2,000 mourners at the funeral Mass of Jonathan Herlihy at St Joseph's Church, Glanmire, that it was a great relief that Jonathan's body had been recovered from the sea last Sunday.
"Much comment was made in Owenahincha about the crowds that were there every day.
"Older people, and maybe not so old, spoke as if they thought such days had become a thing of the past and had disappeared in these Celtic Tiger times and post-modern Ireland," he said.
Leading the mourners were Jonathan Herlihy's parents, Liam and Eileen, his younger brother, Chris (19), his grandparents, Frank and Mary Herlihy and Harry and Elma Lotty, and his girlfriend, Sarah O'Flanagan.
