More than 1,000 mourners turned out in Westport, Co Mayo this afternoon for the funeral of Royal Marine Robert McKibben who was killed fighting for the British army in Afghanistan.
St Mary's Church in the centre of Westport was full to capacity for the funeral service which was attended by a busload of marines, along with representatives of the Irish Army and the Garda.
The mourners were led by Marine McKibben's parents Tony and Gráinne, his sisters Carmel, Rachel and Maggie, brother Raymond and girlfriend Nicola Sanders.
Six Royal Marines carried Marine McKibben's coffin through the streets of Westport before burial later at Oakfield Cemetary. All premises in the town closed as a mark of respect for what local priest Fr Denis Kearney called a "popular man and a popular family".
Mr McKibben joined the Royal Marines five years ago having served with the FCA in Ireland prior to that.
He was killed along with colleague Neil Dunstan when his 4x4 vehicle ewas struck by a roadside bomb while they were on patrol in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan on November 12th.
In the eulogy, colleague Warrant Office Thomas Roberts described Marine McKibben as a "a real gentle giant” who was known as “that big Irish fellow”.
He said Marine McKibben loved the west coast of Ireland and smiled every day when his country was mentioned.
He praised him as having an "enviable control and relaxed attitude to life even under the most demanding of conditions".
He said Mr McKibben's drive and ambition were evident when he completed the Special Forces training course.
