HUNDREDS of people yesterday attended the funeral of student Patrick Halpin, who died in London earlier this month.
The 18-year-old, who was from Loughrea, Co Galway, was found dead after disappearing while on a night out in London's West End.
The teenager had been on a university trip to London at the time.
Yesterday, his sister Regina paid an emotional tribute to her brother telling the large congregation at Loughrea's St Brendan's Cathedral to live life like he would have – with a smile and a song.
She recalled his love of sport but said that it was his love of theatre and his time with Loughrea Youth Theatre (LYT) that gave him his confidence.
The 22-year-old also urged the congregation not to think of his death as a tragedy but to remember how he had reached perfection in his short life.
"I want to go back to this idea of tragedy and I tell you this isn't one. He had reached perfection and God took him, he won't be reduced by the evils of this world. He is not gone too soon, he is gone just in time," she said.
She urged the congregation not to leave the church in sorrow but asked them to live life as her brother would.
Heartbroken Paddy and Elsie Halpin with their daughter ReginaPicture: Hany Marzouk
On behalf of the family she thanked the Metropolitan Police, the gardai and all those who had helped in the search for Patrick, both in person and on social media.
Celebrant Father Joe Clarke spoke about the part played by social media following Patrick's disappearance, praising its reach and the thousands who shared appeals for Patrick.
Patrick was found dead on a roof of a Burger King outlet in Leicester Square on February 6. He had gone missing just after midnight on February 5.
As Patrick's body was taken from the church, a guard of honour was formed by a range of clubs and societies he had played a role in. Members of the Kilnadeema-Leitrim club carried his remains to Kilnadeema cemetery where he was laid to rest.
Among the many mourners were students from Dublin City University, where Mr Halpin was studying, and Dr Martin McAleese, husband of former President Mary McAleese, who is the Chancellor at DCU.
Last week, a special memorial mass was held in Kilburn, north London for Patrick.
Around 200 people turned out at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church to support his mum, Elsie, father, Paddy, and sister, Regina with many of the family’s’ Britain-based relatives among the mourners.
The mass followed the release of Patrick’s body last Tuesday following a post-mortem examination, the results of which have failed to find the cause of the teenager’s death.
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