IRELAND: The funeral of Ireland's second victim of the Asian tsunami has taken place in Co Tyrone. Mr Conor Keightley (31) was buried yesterday in his home town of Cookstown.
He had been on a one-year working holiday and was relaxing in Thailand on the return leg of his journey when the tsunami struck on St Stephen's Day.
His family had heard from him shortly before his death when Mr Keightley e-mailed a picture of himself on a beach on the island of Phi Phi. He had written "Happy Xmas" in the sand.
Thousands of mourners attended requiem Mass in Holy Trinity Church, Cookstown, and the subsequent burial at the cemetery a short distance away.
Mr Keightley's body was found on January 10th in a mortuary in Krabi and formally identified using DNA and dental records.
The discovery followed a visit to the disaster area by Mr Keightley's uncle and two sisters, Ms Michelle McCaughey and Ms Darina Duffy, while parents Dermot and Teresa remained at home.
"The past few weeks have been awful for you," the Primate, Dr Seán Brady, told them.
"Weeks of unspeakable agony and intense sorrow, there were days and nights waiting by the phone hoping against hope. Your hopes and fears rising at every turn. We are grateful that the lonely but heroic and courageous journey of Michelle and Darina and those who accompanied them has achieved its purpose. To find Conor and take him home to his beloved parents, his grieving family and his cherished Cookstown."
Mgr Raymond Murray said the Keightley family were consoled that Conor's body had been identified and returned to them.
"God does not give us the reason why the earthquake happened," said Mgr Murray. "Tragedies happen in this imperfect world. We feel helpless in the face of death but Dermot, Teresa, Michelle and Darina are consoled that his body has been recovered and that they have brought him home."
The family thanked Government officials for their help and support.
"It has been a very difficult time for everyone but at least now the family might be able to find some form of closure," the dead man's uncle, Mr Damien Coyle, said.