THE FUNERAL OF a young Corkman who died in the US while on a J1 visa will take place on Monday 14 August at 2pm in the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady.

Philip Leahy, aged 22 from Ballyhooly in Co Cork, died on Sunday night after fighting for his life following an incident in Maryland last week.

The student was swimming with three other people at a beach in the North Division Street area of Ocean City when they hit rough water and began to struggle.

One of the swimmers made it to land and called 911 for assistance. The other two swimmers were assisted to shore by the Ocean City Fire Department, but Philip began suffering from a cardiac arrest. He later died in hospital.

‘Enthusiastic and committed’

Philip was a student at Cork Institute of Technology and was a talented GAA player, captaining Ballyhooly to its first ever County Junior B Football title last year.

John O’Keefe of Ballyholey GAA Club described Philip as “a lovely young man” who was an “enthusiastic and committed football player and hurler” who got on well with everyone in the community.

“This has been terribly sad since we heard about it last Wednesday evening,” said O’Keefe, sending condolences to the young man’s family.

Read: ‘We’ve all been devastated’: Tributes paid to J1 student after death in Maryland

Read: Over €70,000 raised for Cork student in serious condition after suffering cardiac arrest while swimming