Funeral told that boy, 6, ‘stole hearts of everyone’

A 6-year-old boy who was fatally injured in a hit-and-run last week was a sweet and charming little rogue, “who stole the hearts of everyone he met”, his funeral Mass has heard.

The village of Ballymacoda in East Cork came to a standstill for the Mass of the Angels for Luke O’Donovan, who died at Cork University Hospital on April 19, three days after being hit by a car as he played near his home.

Mourners filled St Peter in Chains Church in the village to extend their sympathies to his parents, Josephine and Stephen.

Among those gathered were children from Kilcredan Primary School, where Luke had been a pupil in first class.

A relative spoke about Luke on behalf of the parents. They described their only child, their “little man”, as “the greatest gift anyone could ever get”.

“The joy he brought us was immense and words cannot express how happy and proud we were to be his mummy and daddy,” they said.

Many wept as the small white coffin was taken away after the Mass for a private cremation service.