Hundreds of mourners today paid their respects to Irish bomb victim Ciaran Cassidy at an emotional funeral service for the passionate Arsenal supporter.
Ciaran Cassidy held an Irish passport
More than 800 people packed into St Mellitus Catholic Church near Finsbury Park, north London, to say their farewells to the "friendly and thoughtful" shopworker.
Mr Cassidy (22), who was born in London but had an Irish passport, was killed in the July 7th suicide attacks in London while travelling to work on the Piccadilly Line train near King's Cross station.
A crowd of friends and colleagues spilled out on to the street to listen to the service broadcast outside the church on speakers.
Close friend Joe Hayes read a tribute. "He didn't care for politics or war but for his family, his friends, for his football and his weekend drink," he said.
Mr Hayes added: "Ciaran was a true character . . . he had no hatred. There are people here who had known Ciaran for only two months and people who had known him for two decades."
On behalf of the Cassidy family he thanked the police, fire brigade, paramedics and their family liaison officer for their work when dealing with the atrocity.
He asked for his friend to be remembered as the "helpful, thoughtful, laughing and joking person he was", calling him a "true ray of sunshine".
Among the congregation was Mr Cassidy's father Sean, who is originally from Co Cavan; his mother Veronica; and his sister Lisa.
The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, sent a letter of support to the family in which he expressed his sympathies for their loss.
PA