Matthew Healy's death has left a community in 'pain, sadness and overwhelming grief', his funeral has heard.
Mourners carried the six-year-old’s coffin along the main street of Watergrasshill in County Cork earlier ahead of his funeral.
Matthew died on Friday after he was found unresponsive in a car close to Dunmore East in County Waterford.
A large crowd of mourners attended his requiem mass today at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Watergrasshill.
Mourners carry Matthew Healy's coffin into the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Watergrasshill, Co Cork, 14-2-24. Image: Jamie O'Hara/NewstalkMementos brought to the altar included Lego cars, jellies, arts and crafts, and Matthew’s cycling helmet.
His uncle Dan spoke about his love of the outdoors.
"Ten hundreds of miles he cycled with his Dad and his uncles and his cousins," he said.
"We also have ribbon from the Far West Festival which is a sample of the camping trips he took with his Dad and his uncles and cousins.
"And his little wallet... for his pocket money so he could buy his 99 ice-creams.
"That's just a little sample of the wonderful life my nephew, my little baby too, lived."
The mass will be followed by a private service at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy.
Mourners carry Matthew Healy's coffin into the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Watergrasshill, Co Cork, 14-2-24. Image: Jamie O'Hara/NewstalkCelebrant Fr Christy Fitzgerald told mourners the funeral was somewhere “no one wants to be today”.
"Though springtime beckons, and the daffodils are above ground, Matthew’s death leaves us all encircled by pain, sadness and overwhelming grief," he said.
"We seek light to give us hope, to point us in a better direction, to lift some of the burden that grief brings and though for some, faith may be severely challenged and tested at this time, it is to the Lord we look for that light and hope today.
"We do what we do best at this time. As a community we come together to offer support, share our condolences and prayers.
"We pray for Matthew’s parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and extended family.
"We are very mindful of Matthew’s classmates from senior infants in Faithlegg National School, his teammates in Park Rangers under-7’s," he added.
37-year-old Ruth Purcell-Healy of Bishopsfield, Williamstown, Waterford City appeared at a special sitting of Waterford District Court last night charged with the murder of her son Matthew.
The funeral is not being streamed online and people are being asked not to click on any links claiming to show the service to protect their personal information.
