Communities unite at rally champion's funeral

Sports ministers from both sides of the border were among thousands of mourners at the funerals of car rally champion Bertie Fisher and his son and daughter.

Sports Minister Jim McDaid and Northern Ireland Minister Michael McGimpsey heard that the Fisher family, owners of an engineering factory in Ballinamallard, Co Fermanagh, had made the village what it was.

Mr Fisher, 50, died on Monday from injuries sustained in a helicopter crash in which his son Mark, 27, and daughter Emma, 25, were killed.

Canon Paul Hoey said: "No family has done more. It would not be the place that it is but for the Fisher family.

"It seems doubly unfair that they have had to face such an appalling tragedy".

Mr Fisher's wife Gladys remains critically ill, and even though his second son Roy, 22, is stable, injuries to his back and arms prevented him attending the funerals.

The family was returning from celebrating Mrs Fisher's 50th birthday at Ashford Castle, Co Mayo when the helicopter with Mr Fisher at the controls crashed into trees a few miles from home.

Former world boxing champion Barry McGuigan, a car rally fan, the Ulster Unionist MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone Ken Maginnis and Northern Ireland environment minister Sam Foster were among a vast crowd which brought Ballinamallard to a standstill.

Mr Fisher's former co-driver Austin Frazer; his one-time great rival Austin McHale and Jimmy McCrea from Scotland were also there.

Canon Hoey added: "In spite of all their successes and achievements in life, they never saw themselves as other than ordinary people and the good they did for others was all done quietly".