It has been confirmed that the body of an Irishman who died during an attempt to scale Mount Everest cannot be brought home for burial.

41-year-old John Delaney was originally from Co. Kilkenny but was living in Kilcock in Co. Kildare.

He collapsed less than 50 metres from the summit of Mount Everest.

The father of two young boys died on Saturday not knowing that his wife had given birth to a baby girl last Wednesday.

Mr. Delaney is the first Irishman to die on Mount Everest.

Pat Falvey has led many expeditions to the mountain.

He says its simply too dangerous to try to recover the body.

“John himself knows the risk of climbing such high altitudes – it would be too risky now to mount a rescue to bring John’s dead body down” he said.

“So they have said a prayer over him and given him the final rights”.

“The sad thing of course from the families’ point of view is that he will not be returning home” he added.