Huge crowds attended the removal of the remains of popular Four Roads man Niall Coyle in Athleague yesterday (Wednesday).
Niall (33) of Correal, Four Roads, Co. Roscommon, died on Thursday, 28th of January from injuries sustained after he was the victim of an unprovoked assault. The assault took place in the town of Dordrecht in Holland, where Niall, an electrician by trade, had been working.
News of the assault and of Niall Coyle’s subsequent death – after over two days on a life support machine – was greeted with shock and grief in Four Roads and throughout County Roscommon.
The attack took place on Monday night, January 25th outside a cafe in the town of Dordrecht, which is near Rotterdam. Niall Coyle was taken to hospital with serious head injuries but died just over two days after the attack, on Thursday 28th of January. He had been on life support and members of his family had travelled to be with their loved one.
Dutch police have arrested a man in his mid-forties in connection with the assault.
Niall Coyle was an extremely well-liked and popular man. He had worked previously in Norway and Australia and had only been in Holland for about three weeks when the assault happened.
Speaking to the Roscommon People on Wednesday, former local school principal Tommy Connolly described Niall Coyle as a real gentleman.
“I taught him from 1987 to 1989 and I came to know him well – and I know his family very well too. He was a gentle giant and wouldn’t harm a fly. In fact he would walk away from trouble rather than walk into it.
“He played hurling to U-16 level and was a great follower of both hurling and camogie. He was planning to come home for the Four Roads Dinner Dance which was to be held on Saturday night last – but sadly it was not to be. His brother Kieran is the chairman of the Four Roads club this year. Niall was great fun to be with and great company. It’s such a tragedy.
“The whole community in the Four Roads general area are shocked and numbed. I have never seen anything like it in my time in the area. People are just speechless with grief and sadness and our hearts go out to his family. Hopefully they will have the strength to bear this huge burden” he concluded.
Massive crowds paid their respects at Hamrock’s Funeral Home on Wednesday (yesterday) evening as the remains of Niall Coyle reposed there from 4.30 pm until well after the appointed time of 8 pm. His remains will be removed from the family home on Thursday to the Church of Christ the Good Shepherd, Four Roads, arriving for funeral Mass at 12 noon. Burial will follow today (Thursday) in Tisrara Cemetery.
The late Niall Coyle is mourned by his mother and father, Anne and Eamon, and by brothers Kieran and Brian, sisters Irene, Fiona, Ena, Noelle, Edel, Aine and Niamh, brothers-in-law, further relatives and a huge circle of friends. A dheis De go raibh a anam.
