Tributes to Irish football fan found dead in Denmark

By Joe Leogue

The Irish football fan found dead in Denmark on Sunday has been named locally as David Clerkin from Drogheda, Co Louth.

The 30-year-old’s body was discovered in the harbour in Havnegade area of the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Sunday morning.

Mr Clerkin had travelled to Denmark to attend Ireland’s final UEFA League of Nations fixture in Aarhus, which took place last night.

A spokeswoman for the Danish Police confirmed it was called to the harbour in Copenhagen, but that the death is not being treated as suspicious.

“Officers got the call at 10.27am on Sunday morning and found a young man had drowned in Copenhagen Harbour, it does not seem criminally suspicious.

“The 30 year-old man was identified and his family have been informed.

We are liaising with the Irish Foreign Affairs office,” she said.

Mr Clerkin was also a supporter of Drogheda United, and the club last night expressed its sympathies to his family.

Drogheda United would like to express its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of David Clerkin who passed away yesterday in Copenhagen.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis

— Drogheda United F.C. (@DroghedaUnited) November 19, 2018

The FAI; Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Shane Ross; and the junior minister with responsibility for sport, Brendan Griffin all expressed their condolences to the Mr Clerkin’s family.

Last night’s match in Aarhus was preceded by a minute’s silence, and the Ireland players wore black armbands at the request of the FAI.

“It is terribly sad news to hear of the tragic death of an Irish football supporter in Copenhagen this weekend,” Mr Ross said.

My thoughts are with the man’s family at this dreadful time. Ireland’s football fans have always represented the country so well on their travels and the last thing anyone ever wants to receive is terrible news of something awful like this. It puts sport into perspective,” he said.

Mr Griffin said travelling to support your country in any sport “is supposed to be a joyous occasion”.

“It really is desperately sad to learn that somebody who made the journey to support their national team will not be returning home afterwards,” he said.