A young student who died after a 50ft cliff fall was described as having squeezed ‘100 years into 23’ as he was laid to rest on his birthday today.
Heartbroken mum Maura paid tribute to Conor King and stressed the talented swimmer and rugby player was loved so much by his friends he had many other “families”.
The trained lifeguard was killed instantly when he stumbled and fell into a blowhole near Garretstown, Co Cork in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The popular engineering and biomedical science student from Douglas in Cork was recovered by rescue divers.
A friend of Conor’s Gary Barrett who bravely tried to rescue him suffered suspected hypothermia and was taken to hospital and has since been discharged.
Mum Maura, who paid an emotional tribute to her son during the funeral Mass at St Patrick’s Church in Rochestown, said: “Conor succeeded in squashing 100 years into 23 years, happy 23rd birthday our beautiful son.
“He had so many families, we saw all of his families on the road coming down.
“The Gaeilscoil, [Old] Christians RFC, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, rugby, surfing, Sundayswell swimming club, Rochestown Park [Hotel].
“We knew all about Conor’s childhood life up to about the age of 17 and then he was growing into a man and Conor had to grow into a man very fast.
“So it is such a privilege for the staff of Rochestown Park [Hotel] to share their experience of him as a working man because I would never have known that.
“And for his adult friends to tell me all of the beautiful stories they have sent me and all of the beautiful photographs that I will spend the next few years drinking in.
Maura read a poem aunt Denise had written in his honour, but she insisted she wanted to add an S at the end because he had “families” who were mourning him.
She said: “C is for caring for that’s what you are.
“O is for original, you’re our brightest star.
“N is for naughty, naughty but nice.
“O is for an opportunist, you never think twice.
“R is for your respect, oh so much for Aine it’s true.
“K is for kayak, Des and his boys.
“I is for an island, granite steady with poise.
“N is for noble, you’re a king after all.
“G is for glory, God father be proud, stand tall.
“S is for Conor’s support through love, through sport, hear his love for you in the rhythm soft waves.
“Spring rain, when the morning sun hits your face it will ease the pain.
“F is for friends, certainly a lot for one lad.
“A is for adoration, your mom and your dad.
“M is for mystery that we’ll never solve.
“I is for infinite, Leo’s love will not dissolve.
“L is for love of the sea, your place of rebirth.
“Y is for young, never to grow old in the ever spinning Earth.
Maura also praised Gary Barrett for his courage and said she was forever grateful to him and all of his friends who were there.
Maura also thanked the West Cork Rapid Response and the West Cork Underwater Search and Rescue volunteers “for being there for my boy”.
