HUNDREDS of people lined the Upper Springfield Road on Thursday evening as the body of Lámh Dhearg clubman Ryan Straney returned home ahead of his funeral this weekend.

The 27-year-old died in the early hours of Monday, April 15 following a collision on Sydney’s M1 Pacific Motorway in Australia.

Ryan, who had moved to Australia in December, was a talented Gaelic footballer and hurler who played with his local club Lámh Dhearg CLG, as well as previously playing as a minor for Antrim.

On Thursday night, hundreds of people turned out to support Ryan's family as the hearse made its way along the Upper Springfield Road.

The hearse also entered the nearby grounds of Lámh Dhearg, where teammates paid respects to their late club colleague.

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Ryan's funeral will take place on Saturday at St Joseph’s Church, Hannahstown for Requiem Mass at 1.30pm followed by burial in the adjoining Cemetery.

To date, over £84,000 has been raised for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which assisted the Straney family in bringing Ryan’s body home from Australia.