Local community "rocked to its core" by Andrew's death

A community was left " rocked to its core" just hours after watching the Donegal GAA team win a place in the All-Ireland final they learned the heartbreaking news one of their brightest youngest stars died tragically just a short distance fro Croke Park.

24-year-old Andrew Duffy, who died on Sunday night, will be laid to rest today following his funeral Mass in St. Columba's Church, Termon at 12noon. Earlier Pauric Duffy the general secretary of the GAA attended his removal from the Mater Hospital and several GAA clubs paid respects along the route home. In Monaghan Town about 100 people assembled where Bishop Liam McDaid led the prayers. In Termon Fr Pat McHugh and Fr Patrick Dunne officiated before a crowd of almost 1000 people where his team mates escorted their friend on his last journey and the Termon ladies GAA team performed a Guard of Honour.

Management and players form the Donegal team are expected to join hundreds of mourners including his parents John and Margaret, sisters Leanne and Caroline, friends and extended family, as well as his Termon GAA team mates at today's funeral. A statement from Termon GAA club, where Andrew was a popular and successful player, said he displayed all the characteristics of the Croke Park stars of last Sunday including "courage, skill, honesty and work rate". Hundreds of people turned out on Tuesday night as his remains returned from Dublin led by a Garda escort, arriving at his family home in Golddrum at approximately 9.30pm. His death has been described as "a tragic accident" when he fell from a bridge into the Grand Canal in Drumcondra on Sunday night. He was pronounced dead in the Mater Hospital a short time later. A statement from Termon GAA Club said "If you had to pick one person to embody all the positive things in Termon GAA club, Andrew Duffy would have been that person."

It reads: "Termon GAA was rocked to its core on Monday morning with the news of the tragic death of club member and senior team member Andrew Duffy. The club would like to offer its condolences to Andrew's family at this heart-breaking time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Andrew represented the club at all age groups and was part of a very successful minor team which won county honours, but it was at senior level that Andrew excelled. Andrew won reserve player of the year in 2010 and made the breakthrough to being a regular starter for our senior team this season. Indeed, Andrew was the holder of his on All-Ireland medal having played a significant role in Termon winning the All Ireland Junior Gaeltacht title earlier this year. "While scant consolation now, the last game of Gaelic football which Andrew saw between Donegal and Cork was one in which so many of the characteristics he himself brought to the game were on show; courage, skill, honesty and work rate were all evident in Croke Park and were always on display when Andrew wore the club colours. If you had to pick one person to embody all the positive things in Termon GAA club, Andrew Duffy would have been that person. You will be sorely missed Andrew, Ar dheis de go raibh a anam." His death echoes the tragedy 20-years-ago of Downings man - Seamus Braid- who died just hours after the Donegal victory on the 1992 All-Ireland final, following an assault on O'Connell St in Dublin. Social network sites have been inundated with tributes to Andrew from GAA fans all over the world. Donegal GAA manager Jim McGuinness said his whole team were left "heart broken" by the sad news on Monday morning. He and members of the senior Donegal Team attended the wake house during the week. Andrew,

who was a farmer, had attended Sunday's match and it unchanged his plans to stay over in Dublin after their win over Cork.

(Text courtesy of Donegal Democrat 30/08/12) Tweet

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