President Higgins pays tribute to Kneecap member’s late father

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to Gearoid O Caireallain (Niall Carson/PA)

President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to the father of a member of the band Kneecap as a “major figure in the Irish language movement”.

Kneecap, whose eponymous feature film was recently shortlisted for two Oscars, honoured Gearóid Ó Cairealláin at their Belfast gig on Saturday, hours after his death.