Buncrana deaths: Emmanuel Familola’s funeral going down

The funeral of a 16-year-old schoolboy who died once you have into issue off the County Donegal coast is underway in Buncrana.

Emmanuel Familola was once one in all two youngsters who misplaced their lives within the incident out of doors town final weekend.

A clergyman described Emmanuel as “charismatic with an ability to draw people to him”.

Fr Francis Bradley, the parish priest in Buncrana, stated he had a “real warmth, stature dignity, and nobility to him”.

Hundreds of other folks made their solution to St Mary’s Oratory within the the town to pay their respects.

They integrated representatives of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the emergency services and products.

The circle of relatives of Emmanuel, which contains his mom and two brothers, are stated to be heartbroken by way of his tragic dying.

The teen, who was once initially from Nigeria, misplaced his lifestyles along his good friend Matt Sibanda, 18, who was once a local of Zimbabwe.

Their respective faculties, Scoil Mhuire and Crana College, stated classmates had been devastated on the lack of two well-liked buddies.

They were offering steering and make stronger to fellow pupils who grew to become out to wait the Requiem Mass.

Scoil Mhuire Principal Evelyn McLoughlin stated final weekend there have been no phrases that might absolutely seize the ache and sorrow felt by way of the varsity neighborhood and so they had been in reality heartbroken.

She stated Emmanual was once recognized for his heat character, delicate humour and considerate nature.

He was once very popular by way of body of workers and scholars alike.

The tragedy spread out final Saturday afternoon after a number of youngsters were given into issue at Ned’s Point.

They were taking part in soccer at the seaside and had went into the water to retrieve a ball.

Later that night, the frame of Matt Sibanda was once recovered from Lough Swilly.

Emmanuel Familola was once rescued and brought to Letterkenny University Hospital however died within the early hours of final Sunday morning.

A 3rd teenage boy controlled to make it again to shore.

Parish Priest Fr Francis Bradley stated the neighborhood were a really perfect supply of power to the grieving households.

The funeral of Matt Sibanda will happen subsequent week.

Matt attended Crana College the place he were getting ready to sit down his leaving certificates examination subsequent month.

School most important Kevin Cooley described his student as “the most respectful young man you could ever meet”.

Both youngsters were residing with their households in separate global coverage centres in Buncrana.

Last Sunday, loads of other folks attended a vigil for each youngsters at St Mary’s Oratory in Buncrana which was once led by way of the Catholic Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown.

Bishop McKeown, along side the clery within the diocese, prolonged their condolences to the Familola and Sibanda households.