One of two teenagers who died when they got into difficulty in Lough Swilly last weekend, "touched every heart", mourners at his funeral were told.
The requiem mass of 16-year-old Emmanuel Familola took place at St Mary's Oratory in Buncrana this morning.
He died along with his friend 18-year-old Matt Sibanda after getting into difficulty while swimming to retrieve a football in Lough Swilly last Saturday.
A third teenager was able to make it ashore.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris were represented by aide-de-camp Commandant Joe Glennon.
Pupils from Emmanuel's school, Scoil Mhuire, provided a guard of honour as his mother Glory, his two brothers and other family members arrived for his funeral.
Members of his family watched from Nigeria.
A family friend spoke at the start of mass.
Tony Joel said the African Community in Ireland wanted to thank the Irish people, who he said, had supported the family from the moment of the tragedy.
He also thanked the RNLI and hospital staff in Letterkenny University Hospital who had tried to save Emmanuel.
Items representing Emmanuel's life were brought up to the altar, including photographs from a recent trip to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Parish Priest Fr Francis Bradley said the double drowning had left a terrible legacy.
He told mourners: "Emmanuel distinguished himself by his devotion of heart, by his courtesy, calmness and sense of gratitude for anything and everything he was given.
"An excellent student who always gave his best, he had a serene magnetism to him which crossed social, ethnic and cultural boundaries for his warmth and charisma spoke every language, touched every heart.
"All of this has made the tragedy which befell himself and Matt Sibanda from Zimbabwe on Saturday evening last all the more difficult to comprehend, all the more painful for his family, for all of us and especially for his friends who were there and did their best to help.
"They appear to have been doing what young boys would - playing football and going into the water to retrieve the ball.
"Despite constant warnings, how were they really to know the real power and danger of the water, the destructive currents and forces which lay beneath the otherwise picture-perfect sea on a surreal afternoon; could any of us say we wouldn't go into the water and risk it a little to make sure the fun would continue.
"None of us can judge the actions which led to such a calamitous tragedy. If hindsight were foresight, we’d all have insight," he said.
Emmanuel will be buried in Buncrana.
The funeral of his friend Matt will take place next week.
Both teenagers had been living with their families in separate international protection centres in Buncrana.
