Handball champion Michael “Ducksie” Walsh was buried on Saturday in his home town of Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny, just two weeks after winning the final of the Irish national championship.
The hugely respected sportsman died last Thursday, aged 50, following a short illness.
His career yielded 38 All-Ireland senior singles titles as well as world championships and numerous other honours.
Speaking at his funeral Mass, Walsh’s long-time friend and former hurler of the year DJ Carey said, “he was the best at everything and, as a person, he was fantastic”.
Hundreds packed into the Church of St Bennett in the Co Kilkenny village for the requiem Mass, with hundreds more standing outside, including people from handball and other GAA clubs from around Ireland.
“Every corner of the country is touched,” Carey said.
President Higgins was represented at the funeral by his aide-de-camp Lt Commander Patricia Butler, while the Taoiseach was represented by his aide-de-camp Cmdt Kieran Carey.
