The father of Lorcán Miller, one of the six victims of the Berkeley balcony collapse, has said his family's hearts broke with the families of the other young people who died in the tragedy.
Speaking at Lorcán’s funeral at Rathmichael Parish Church in Shankill today, Ken Miller said his family's thoughts would always be with those other families.
Kevin O'Malley, the American Ambassador to Ireland, was among the mourners at the funeral.
Canon David Moynan led the service, while members of the UCD hockey team formed a guard of honour as Lorcán's remains were carried into the church.
Chief mourners were Lorcán's parents, Ken and Sinéad, his brother Jamie, and his sisters Lucy and Poppy. His grandparents were also in attendance.
Mr Miller said his son was an extrovert and threw himself into everything; he said music was important to him - he played the piano.
Mr Miller said his son became a natural leader, deputy head boy in his school, and a member of the UCD executive committee of the student medical journal, and the hockey team at the university.
He followed both our footsteps in the Railway Hockey Club and he adored his family and was idolised by all, Mr Miller added.
Lorcán sent a postcard from Berkeley to his younger brother and sisters to show them what he was doing for the summer.
The postcard arrived on Tuesday.
The card was formally addressed to "the children" and it had a drawing of a matchstick man serving food.
Lorcán wrote: "Hi guys, I'm sending you a postcard showing you where I am. As part of my job I have to talk with customers and I tell them about my amazing brothers and sisters."
The postcard was signed off with 12 kisses.
Mr Miller also thanked people for their attendance. He said he and his wife had been humbled by the empathy and sympathy they have felt.
He gave a special mention to those who looked after their "smallies" as they travelled to Berkeley, and those who helped them and showed compassion.
Mr Miller thanked the families of the five other young people who died in the tragedy.
"Our hearts broke with yours", he said, "our thoughts will always be with you."
Canon Moynan spoke of the continuing sense of shock at the tragedy.
Not just for those gathered to remember Lorcán, but for those who died and those who are injured.
Canon Moynan said they were giving thanks for his life and everything he was and still is to his family and friends.
He told the congregation each of them will have their own memory of Lorcán. "We support Ken, Sinéad and their little ones," he added.
Second injured student discharged
The funerals of Niccolai Schuster and Olivia Burke took place yesterday in Dublin, while Eoghan Culligan and Eimear Walsh were laid to rest on Tuesday.
Earlier, the second of the seven students injured in the balcony collapse was discharged from hospital.
Conor Flynn, a 22-year-old DIT student from Mount Merrion, was released from the John Muir Medical Centre in Walnut Creek, California.
He will, however, remain in the Bay Area for a few weeks as the injuries he sustained were such that he is not permitted to fly at the moment.
Sean Fahey was the first student to be discharged from hospital on Sunday and is already home in Ireland.
Niall Murray and Clodagh Cogley have both been moved out of the Eden Medical Centre to other facilities better suited to the care they need.
Mr Murray has been moved to a hospital in San Francisco, while Ms Cogley has been moved to a rehabilitation centre in the city.
She confirmed in a Facebook post that she expected to be there for two months.
Describing her injuries, she said she had two collapsed lungs, a broken shoulder, a broken knee, five broken ribs and a broken spinal cord, adding the chances of "using my legs again are pretty bleak".
In an upbeat post complete with emoticons, she noted that the rehabilitation centre had dog therapy.
But, she added: "The thing I'm taking from this tragedy is that life is short and I intend to honour those who died by living the happiest and most fulfilling life possible".
And she had this advice: "Enjoy a good dance and the feeling of grass beneath your feet like it's the last time because in this crazy world you never know when it might be."
Jack Halpin remains at the John Muir Medical Center where he is still receiving treatment.
Aoife Beary and Hannah Waters remain in a critical condition in the Highland Hospital in Oakland.
