Family and friends pay respects to life-long Falkirk fan Ian Irvine who died aged 52

Shieldhill man Ian Irvine died from a lung infection on Sunday, November 22, with coronavirus listed as the official cause.

A private burial service was held at Polmont Cemetery on Monday, December 7 for the former Falkirk Herald paper boy.

Described as a “kind-hearted gentleman” by his sister, Isabel, Mr Irvine was a dad to one son, Paul (26).

Relatives had been allowed to visit him in Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert as initial test results showed his illness wasn’t Covid-related.

The news he’d developed the virus and Mr Irvine’s condition had deteriorated came as a hammer blow to the family.

Isabel said: “Ian was kind and popular. He was a kind-hearted gentleman.

“He was Falkirk FC over and over – he loved his Falkirk Bairns.”

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Mr Irvine first started selling The Falkirk Herald at the Falkirk Steeple while still a pupil at the old Woodlands High School.

After leaving school, he secured work as a security guard at a private firm – a role that also enabled him to work at the home of his boyhood club when Falkirk Stadium hosted concerts.

Mr Irvine, who was also a brother to Elizabeth and Jim, lived with and helped to take care of his parents in Shieldhill.

A lover of dogs, he would also look after sister Isabel’s pooch, Killin, and his diverse array of hobbies meant he had a wide-ranging group of friends.

Isabel explained: “Ian used to come up and take my dog for a walk.

“He said he came up to see me but he came up to see the dog!

“Even when he was on holiday this year, he used to video call me to see the dog.

“He played in a dominoes team and had a lot of friends from that and friends he’d go on holiday with and drinking partners.

“Then he had the friends from the football bus. He’d go to away games if he wasn’t working because he always did night shift.”

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