Kian Dawson-Kirk (16) died last weekend along with his cousin Eóghan Dawson (20) on Saturday night when their car crashed at Cross, Quigley’s Point when the vehicle hit a wall.
Leaving his home in the Carnhill area of Derry on Thursday, Kian’s white coffin had an emblem of local football club Don Bosco’s on it.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser in memory of the pair has now gathered over £25,000 to be shared between the families.
The organisers said a trip to a favourite place had turned into “a living nightmare”, appealing for donations to pay funeral costs. The cousins would remain “forever young”, they said.
No funeral arrangements have been announced for Eóghan at this time.
Don Bosco’s Football Club earlier paid tribute to young footballer Kian, who was been involved with the club since he was five years old.
They said he was “the most genuine, well-mannered, and unassuming young lad you could ever meet” and suspended club activities in the near future.
The club also posted a statement in his memory on social media this evening, stating “our hearts are sore today” after the news emerged earlier this week.
“We awoke this morning to the sad news that young Kian Dawson, a player in our 2007 group since the age of 5, had sadly passed after a road traffic accident last night in Donegal,” they said.
“Kian and his father Emmett (a coach with our 2007’s) have been an integral part of our club for many years and have given us many wonderful and happy memories that we will cherish forever.
“Kian was the most genuine, well-mannered and unassuming young lad you could meet. He was a credit to Don Boscos but more importantly to his mum and dad, Fiona and Emmett.”
“Kian will be forever remembered by his coaches, teammates and friends at Don Bosco’s. We are also thinking of you all at this heart breaking time.
“We send our love and deepest condolences to Kian’s parents Emmett and Fiona, his sister Abigail and to the wider Kirk and Dawson families.
“As a mark of respect, all Don Boscos club activities including training and matches will be called off for this coming week.”