Tributes to ‘popular and outgoing’ young sports star Philip Leahy

Tributes have been paid to a 22-year-old student who lost his battle for life after a swimming accident in the US.

Philip Leahy, a CIT student from Ballyhooly, Co Cork, died on Sunday, four days after getting into difficulties while swimming at Ocean City in Maryland. The popularity of the young man and his family saw over €90,000 raised over the weekend to help with medical expenses while he was being treated in hospital, before news of his death broke late on Sunday night.

Philip was the youngest ever captain of Ballyhooly’s Junior B football team and led them to their first county title last year.