Christy O’Connor Jnr’s strong faith “came to his rescue” after his 17-year-old son’s death, his funeral was told today.
President Michael D Higgins was among several hundred mourners to attend the funeral at Galway Cathedral.
The crowd also included Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s aide-de-camp Commandant Kieran Carey , golfers Sam Torrance, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowry, des Smyth and Eamon D’Arcy, former taoiseach Brian Cowen, businessman Denis O’Brien, former rugby international Keith Wood, horse trainer Mouse Morris and Fine Gael TD and former football manager John O’Mahony
In his homily , Fr Michael Kelly referenced O’Connor Jnr’s son, Darren, who died in a 1998 road crash. He said the golfer “spoke openly and confidently of his conviction that he would meet Darren again - not quite so soon, I imagine. He prayed to him and for him and was convinced that Darren came to his assistance more than once.”
He added: “Unfortunately that same belief will not fill the vacant chair or the emptiness you are experiencing in your hearts today. But the support and prayers of the thousands of friends who shook your hands these last few days will carry you through the various stages of your loss and mourning.”
Fr Kelly said a steady flow of glowing tributes have been paid in the days since O’Connor Jnr died. “I have no doubt Christy had a large number of very close personal friends but he had the gift of making every acquaintance feel that they were special - and he treated them accordingly,” he said.
“They were all tributes to ‘a great human being’, whom we had the privilege to be associated with in one way or another. He was a proud Galway man, an Irishman and a European. His leaving has left our world a poorer place. He was one in a million.”
He best remembered for a lead role in the Ryder Cup win in 1989. During his funeral Paul McGinley brought the Ryder Cup up to his coffin.
Musicians who played during his funeral included Frankie Gavin and Sean Keane .
O’Connor Jnr had been on holiday in Tenerife when he died suddenly last Wednesday.
Tributes were paid to the golfer from across the world of sport, society and politics, with the golfer fondly remembered for his good nature, generosity and most famously for defying the odds to help Europe beat the US, thanks to a stunning two iron from 200 yards to within feet of the 18th hole at The Belfry.
O’Connor Jnr is survived by his wife Ann, son Nigel and daughter Ann.
The golfer’s other son, Darren, died in a road crash in 1998 aged 17.
