Con Houlihan adored Casteisland. The iconic sportswriter spent his latter years in Dublin, but never forgot his hometown.

The late Con Houlihan had “an extraordinary pride of place”.

A last word on Con Houlihan?

The scene is one which would have embarrassed and delighted Con Houlihan in equal measure as the funeral Mass for the legendary and much-loved journalist saw a gathering of his admirers and devotees in the guise of former newspaper colleagues and readers.