Tragic Higgins was ‘victim of fame and fortune’

FAME and fortune led Alex “Hurricane” Higgins down a destructive path of alcohol abuse, which ultimately caused his death.

Speaking at the snooker player’s funeral service, Dean of Belfast Houston McKelvey said Higgins was a victim of “two of the greatest temptations possible” – fame and fortune.

During the service, held at St Anne’s Cathedral, Dr McKelvey said the snooker champion, who died alone at the age of 61, had encountered both at a very young age and found it difficult to cope. “He was not the first to find this difficult and he certainly will not be the last,” Dr McKelvey told mourners, including Higgins’ former wife, daughter and son, and snooker greats Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, Ken Doherty and Willie Thorne.