Friday, April 29, 2016

The man who died in St Stephen’s Green on Monday was buried today in his home village in Kerry.

Thomas Kearney, of Ballyhennessy, Lixnaw was laid to rest in his home parish days after he was discovered in the Dublin city centre park by a homeless man and some passersby.

The 31-year-old was mourned by his father and mother, his four sisters, his three brothers and other family members at a funeral service at St. Michael’s Church in Lixnaw, before burial at Kilfeighney Cemetery.

Mr Kearney was in his early 30s and gardaí in the capital have said there was no suggestion of anything suspicious regarding the circumstances of his death.

The Kerry man had lived with his parents and helped out on the family farm.

His death was said to have been totally unexpected.

He had travelled to Dublin last weekend to attend Sunday’s gaelic football league final between Kerry and Dublin.

Pat Doyle, the CEO of the Peter McVerry Trust, confirmed Mr Kearney was not known to the homeless services and he extended his sympathies to the man’s family.

Mr Doyle said the McVerry Trust was now providing counselling to the homeless man who found Mr Kearney last Monday morning.

Although Mr Kearney was not homeless, Mr Doyle said there was no doubt many people who do end up sleeping rough face a number of dangers as a result.

He said, last year, 13 service users of the Peter McVerry Trust passed away and seven other service users have been laid to rest so far this year, including a man who had been buried earlier this week.

Mr Doyle said: “He had been a young lad who was in our services and he died of health-related issues, related to a life of putting his body under pressure over a long period.”

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