Zara, you are one in a million, shine bright sweetheart”, the funeral of Zara Murphy heard today, from her father Brian in a eulogy to the 13-year-old girl from Termonfeckin who passed away tragically last Thursday.

Zara died after becoming ill during a football match in the town last week. She had been playing for the Termonfeckin Celtic FC under-14 team in a match against Glen Magic last Thursday as part of the Louth School Girls League. Emergency services were called to the scene. She was brought to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital where she later died.

A huge crowd attended Zara’s funeral mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Drogheda, where they heard Zara’s father, Brian, describe her as their “amazing, beautiful and loving daughter.