logo
Funeral service takes place for Co Donegal drowning victim

Funeral service takes place for Co Donegal drowning victim

Independent17-05-2025
A funeral service is under way for a teenager who drowned in Co Donegal.
Emmanuel Familola, 16, originally from Nigeria, and Matt Sibanda, 18, originally from Zimbabwe, both died in the incident last weekend.
They had been playing football on Saturday when they went into the sea after a ball and got into difficulty.
Matt's body was recovered from Lough Swilly on Saturday evening while Emmanuel was rescued and taken to Letterkenny University Hospital, but died in the early hours of Sunday.
A vigil was held in their memory in Buncrana on Sunday evening and another vigil was held on Monday evening in Londonderry.
Both teenagers had been living with their families in separate international protection centres in Buncrana.
Schoolchildren from the Co Donegal town formed a guard of honour at St Mary's Oratory in the town on Saturday morning ahead of the funeral service for Emmanuel.
Speaking ahead of the service, Parish Priest Father Francis Bradley said it was a profoundly sad day.
'This day last week, life changed for so many people unspeakably in just a few moments when tragedy struck again at Lough Swilly,' he said.
'Emmanuel was able way beyond his years because of all that he had experienced.
'He didn't allow the harsh things that he had seen to shape him, instead he saw those as opportunities to enable him and others to move on and to move up in the world.'
The funeral mass for Matt will be held next week.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

At least six dead after mystery 'dairy accident' in Colorado
At least six dead after mystery 'dairy accident' in Colorado

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

At least six dead after mystery 'dairy accident' in Colorado

Six bodies have been discovered on a dairy in Colorado plains, in a tragedy currently being described as 'an accident.' Rescue crews entered a confined space at the dairy Wednesday and recovered the bodies, the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District said. Weld County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Melissa Chesmore said her agency also responded Wednesday to an emergency at the dairy. 'We didn´t find anything criminal in nature,' she said. 'It looks like an accident.' She didn't elaborate on the nature of the emergency or say where exactly the bodies were found, referring questions to state occupational safety regulators. According to CBS News, the Weld County Coroner's Office said a preliminary investigation suggests the six victims were exposed to gas from Prospect Valley Dairy. While the names of the victims have not yet been released, it is understood they were primarily adult men. One of the victims may have been 17 years old, The Independent reported. Dairy Farmers of America confirmed on Thursday the incident took place at one of its member farms. 'We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts and most sincere condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased,' the organization said in a statement. 'At this early stage, we have no further details.' The local Keenesburg Police Department said it was not among the responding agencies. The dairy is located along a rural road near Keenesburg, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Denver.

Up-and-coming baseball star dead at 22 in horror car crash two months after signing his first professional contract
Up-and-coming baseball star dead at 22 in horror car crash two months after signing his first professional contract

Daily Mail​

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Up-and-coming baseball star dead at 22 in horror car crash two months after signing his first professional contract

A young New Jersey baseball star who just signed his first professional contract has tragically died at the age of 22 following a car crash in North Carolina. Nick Danbrowney was killed in a wreck on August 18 in the town of Corolla in the northern stretch of the Outer Banks. The crash happened after midnight. Danbrowney was the passenger in a 2023 Ford Explorer being driven by 65-year-old Rosario Edgar, according to ABC 13 News. Edgar was traveling at a high rate of speed when the SUV veered off the road, struck an embankment and overturned multiple times before coming to a rest. Danbrowney was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Edgar was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Danbrowney just recently signed his first professional contract in the minor leagues A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Danbrowney's family. At the time of publishing, over $34,600 had been raised. Danbrowney was a star in high school at Barnegat before becoming the all-time leader in strikeouts at Ramapo College. He put up 225 career strikeouts for the Roadrunners - including 72 this past season. After leaving college, he signed a professional contract in the independent Pecos League - inking a deal with the Bakersfield Train Robbers in California. He posted 32 strikeouts across 21.2 innings in the regular season for Bakersfield. 'I'm numb,' said Train Robbers Manager Bill Rogan in a press release. 'Our entire team is devastated. Even though we went our separate ways after the season, we're still a close knit group. 'We're having trouble dealing with this. Nick was a gentleman off the field and a terrific pitcher on the mound with a bright future. We loved Nick and will never forget him.'

Seventh possible ID emerges for 'Unknown Unknown' defendant
Seventh possible ID emerges for 'Unknown Unknown' defendant

BreakingNews.ie

time6 hours ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Seventh possible ID emerges for 'Unknown Unknown' defendant

A seventh possible identity has emerged for an unsuccessful asylum seeker claiming to be from Palestine and Jordan, and who continues to be named only in court as "Unknown Unknown". The accused, who had no identity documents, is accused of obstructing a drug search on Monday at Store Street in the city centre. Advertisement He appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on Tuesday when the investigating officer, Garda Oisín O'Toole, raised concerns over six different names and five dates of birth given by the man. He was remanded in custody for further enquiries, and the case resumed on Thursday. Garda O'Toole said in the intervening days, a man claiming to be a friend of the accused turned up at Store Street station and tried to convince officers that the accused used a specific name. Judge Brennan heard that the garda also contacted the International Protection Office in Dublin about a public service card number the accused had when arrested. Advertisement As a result, he was furnished with images and details from a passport with another name, but he remained uncertain whether the accused was the man in the picture. Judge Brennan remanded "Unknown Unknown", who did not address the court, in continuing custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court next Thursday while gardaí and his solicitor continue to establish his real name. His solicitor, Paul Byrne, told Judge Brennan he had been "stonewalled" when he tried to make inquiries at the IPAS centre about his client. On Tuesday, the court heard that he claimed to have stayed in accommodation outside Dublin, in centres in Mullingar and Arklow. Advertisement Garda O'Toole had said that while held at Store Street station, the man was provided with an interpreter to assist him over the phone, but he still refused to give basic information. The court heard that he kept changing his dates of birth, names and nationalities. The Garda National Immigration Bureau had no record of the details he provided. The man, who has been granted legal aid, did not give evidence during the bail hearing on Tuesday or Thursday and has yet to enter a plea. Ireland Man on way to US comic convention stopped at Dubli... Read More He had an interpreter earlier, but at his latest hearing, his solicitor described him as having "enough English to get by". He has stated that his client, in the early stage of these proceedings, had been in a panic and that the problem had been a lack of confidence. He had been here a year and had been unsuccessful in applying for asylum. The court heard he had a public service card, and on his phone, there was a picture of a manual handling certificate, in a different name.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store