Kevin ‘Kingsy’ King described at his funeral today as a talented footballer with the gifts of kindness and thoughtfulness
A PRIEST has told mourners at the funeral of GAA player Kevin King that he was given many gifts from God including a “talented footballer, kindness, thoughtfulness and good looks”.
Hundreds of people packed into St Mary’s Church in Tamnaherin, Eglinton, Co Derry for the Requiem Mass for the 22-year-old who was affectionately known as ‘Kingsy’.
Kevin, who played for Slaughtmanus GAC and Tamnaherin Celtic, died suddenly last Thursday night after collapsing just minutes into an indoor soccer game in Campsie where he was playing goalkeeper.
Club officials and members lined the route in the pouring rain as his funeral cortege made its way to the church for the noon Requiem Mass service.
The cortege passed the clubhouse and pitches where Kevin had developed his skills “to almost perfection”.
At the entrance to the church, boys and girls dressed in the club’s green jerseys, formed a guard of honour.
In his Homily, Parish Priest Fr. Noel McDermott said that Kevin’s parents John and Margaret, elder brother Martin and wider family “deeply appreciate the prompt attention he was given at Campsie on Thursday evening, and by the ambulance staff and paramedics who brought him to Altnagelvin Hospital where, under the wonderful direction of Mr McNeil, every possible assistance was rendered by the medical team there in the attempt to save his life.
“There is great comfort in knowing that everything that could have been done was done.
“God gifted Kevin with an amazing skill as a footballer and he developed that skill to near enough perfection.
“Kevin’s very presence on the pitch seemed to energise and encourage his team mates.
“He was a source of great encouragement to the younger people in the club too.
“But football was not Kevin’s only gift.
“God also gifted him with a kindly, thoughtful nature; with an ability to get to know people and make friends with them; with an unassuming personality; with a lovely sense of his own worth that allowed him to treat everyone with courtesy and respect and to look out for anyone who might be feeling excluded or left out.
“Of course God also blessed Kevin with good looks – the family were telling me that when he would be going out he would be so particular about his appearance and what he was wearing.
“And then when he was ready he would come into the living room and say to his mother, ‘tell me this – am I beautiful or am I beautiful?!”
Fr McDermott spoke of the health condition which had meant Kevin had had to stop playing gaelic earlier this year.
“The past number of months had been an anxious time for Kevin as he worried about his health and its implications for his career as a footballer.
“And of Thursday evening, as he was about to leave this world and return to God, in whom he so firmly believed, Kevin received the Last Sacraments of the Church.
“He was still wearing the Miraculous Medal and Scapular around his neck that was given to him by his aunt Geraldine.”
Following Requiem Mass, Kevin was buried in the adjoining cemetery at St Mary’s Church.
The King family had asked that in lieu of flowers donations could be made to the British Heart Foundation.
After his death last week, Doire GAA issued a statement expressing its shock and sadness at Kevin’s sudden passing.
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