As many as a thousand strangers have turned out for the funeral of an elderly man with no known family or friends.
There was standing room only at the service for Joseph Tuohy in South Dublin this morning.
A call-out was made for people to attend the 87-year-old's funeral, after he died alone in London this summer.
Joseph was taken from his mother at the age of 14 , and spent time at St Joseph's industrial school in Clonmel, County Tipperary.
When he turned 16, he left St Joseph's and moved to Waterford, before relocating to London where he died alone this summer.
Enormous turnout for the funeral of Joseph Tuohy. If only he had received this level of support during his life. At least we can honour him in death. Well done to all who have helped to do this for him. #josephtuohy #forgottenirish #glasthule pic.twitter.com/Th5bsdBQZj
— Rónán Murray (@RonanMurrayMuso) September 27, 2019
Father Denis Kennedy led today's service at St Joseph's in Glasthule.
He said the turnout was "enormous".
"The church was packed, there were people standing all around the back and along the sides", he said.
Father Kennedy didn't know Joseph, but learned about him from staff at the care home he lived in.
"He was a very shy, quiet person... he was a very intelligent person. He was in this nursing home and he could outscore any of the contestants on quiz programmes".
"But he was forgotten in life", Father Kennedy said.
