The tragic death of a Galway teenager last week has given a second life to four others who benefited from his donated organs.

This was acknowledged during Adam Higgins’ packed funeral Mass at the Church of Mary Immaculate and St. Joseph in Caherlistrane at the weekend as he was laid to rest following his fatal fall off a moving tractor.

Following the accident, he was taken to the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin but he lost his fight for life in the early hours of last Wednesday morning.

Mourners, who packed into the church and thronged the car park outside, also heard how, in death, he provided life to four other people through organ donations.

At the funeral Mass, his father Donall described his son as “a ray of sunshine” during an emotional eulogy.

He said that while he loved school and had the respect of his teachers, his real talents were outside the classroom whether it was in the shed or on the farm.

Donall said that Adam had an infectious laugh and had “a great sense of humour and devilment” and that he would have been proud of the fact that he had now saved more lives than some of his action heroes put together.

Local curate Fr Dixy Faber paid tribute to 16 years old Adam describing him as “a caring and sharing young lad” who loved the great outdoors and helping others.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.