Tributes are coming in following the passing of 18 year old Luke Silles.
Luke sadly passed away yesterday, after he got into difficulty while swimming off Kelly's Beach in Fenit last Saturday.
His local club, Ballymacelligott GAA, described Luke as "sporting, witty, smart and roguish", and will be halting all club media until after the funeral as a mark of respect.
His fellow schoolmates at CBS The Green in Tralee have been congregating at the school to mourn and remember Luke, who would have been celebrating his 6th sixth year graduation yesterday.
Local councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald, who was Luke's Irish teacher, described the young man as someone who brought light into other people's lives:
CBS The Green Tralee issued the following statement:
Today CBS The Green and the surrounding community are coming to terms with the passing of our student Luke Silles. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his parents Tony and Paula, his brother and sister Oran and Aimee, his extended family and large circle of friends. No words can capture our sense of loss and pain at this time. Our hearts are broken.
Luke was a very popular student at The Green and was highly regarded by both staff and students. He was kind, gentle, thoughtful, good humoured, cared deeply for all and engaged positively with everyone. He had a kind word and a smile for all he met. He loved sport and representing our school. He played football for The Green and was part of the team that won the Br. Taft competition in 2022. In the same year he was part of the soccer team that won The U-15 Kingdom Cup. Luke was preparing for his leaving cert examination alongside his classmates and always showed gratitude for guidance given. Luke Silles encapsulated the spirit of The Green.
Since the news unfolded yesterday evening the school has implemented our critical incident plan and is working closely with various agencies, in particular the national educational psychological services to provide support for our students and the wider school community.
The loss of Luke is deeply felt by all who knew him but he will be remembered for the light he brought to our lives.
