RUGBY stars past and present were among thousands who joined the grieving family of Anthony Foley as his remains were brought to his hometown church.
Two hour-long queues formed at St Flannan's Church, Killaloe in Co Clare, as people waited patiently to pay their respects to the Munster and Ireland great.
An informal guard of honour stood at the church as the remains of the 42-year-old were received by Fr Pat Malone shortly before 1pm yesterday.
The 42-year-old, capped for Ireland 62 times, died in a hotel in Paris on Saturday ahead of Munster's scheduled game against Racing 92.
A post mortem examination later found he died after a heart condition caused fluid to build up in his lungs.
Large crowds began to queue outside St Flannan’s Church from about 10am yesterday.
Mourners included former Ireland international Keith Wood and current players Johnny Sexton, Cian Healy and Jamie Heaslip.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, Connacht head coach Pat Lam and Leinster head coach Leo Cullen also paid their respects at the church.
Many people joined a separate queue to speak to Foley's widow Olive and their two sons, Daniel and Tony.
Foley's remains were brought from the church to his family home at around 8.30pm yesterday.
Requiem Mass will celebrated today at midday at St Flannan’s Church with burial afterwards in Relig Lua cemetery.
Gardaí traffic plans in place yesterday will continue into today to facilitate the thousands of mourners expected to arrive at the funeral.
On Wednesday night thousands of mourners lined the streets outside Thormond Park in Limerick as Foley's remains were brought back from Paris.
Officials from Foley's old club, Shannon, marched silently beside the hearse as it passed.
Mourners also sang Shannon's club anthem 'There is an Isle' as the hearse stopped briefly outside the stadium.
