THE FUNERAL of snooker legend Alex “Hurricane” Higgins could bring central Belfast to a standstill on Monday, as thousands prepare both to mourn and celebrate the life of the “People’s Champion”.
Following a service at St Anne’s Cathedral in the centre of the city, Higgins’s remains will be buried at Roselawn cemetery.
In addition to friends, fans and some of snooker’s biggest stars, mourners will include Higgins’s daughter and son, Lauren and Jordan, as well as sisters Jean and Ann.
While there had been calls from some for a funeral at Belfast City Hall, and the family had initially opted for a private funeral, it was decided that the ceremony should take place in the cathedral where his parents were married.
Arrangements for the funeral had been delayed so that Higgins’s close friend and old rival Jimmy White could return from Thailand.