It happened within sight of the family's holiday home at Greencastle near Kilkeel, after Mr Thompson (63) got into difficulties.

Coastguards and the ambulance service were quickly on the scene and Mr Thompson received CPR (cardiopulmonanry resuscitation) on the shoreline, but later died at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry.

A police spokeswoman said that following a post mortem, the death was not being treated as suspicious.

Mr Thompson, who received the CBE in 1997 for services to healthcare and to the community, had a distinguished career in his professional life and in voluntary services.

He was educated at Church Street Primary School and Portadown College, after which he went to Trinity College, Dublin, where he attained his Masters Degree in 1070.

He started his professional career with the family firm of Eric McCrea Thompson, and such was the respect in which he was held within the community, he became High Sheriff of Armagh and Deputy Lieutenant in the early 1990s.

CORONER

He entered the coroner's service in 1982, and six years later he was appointed coroner for South Down.

Mr Thompson also had a deep interest in health matters, and he was appointed chairman of the Southern Health and Social Services Board in the 1980s, and gave such selfless and expert service that he was made chairman of the Eastern Board, which included Belfast and handled the biggest budget in Northern Ireland, covering hospitals like the Royal and City in Belfast.

The Thompson home is at Ardress Cottage, and his is survived by his wife Joan and sons Hugo and Rory as well as two sisters.

The funeral was on Wednesday morning from St Mark's Parish Church in Armagh, and the Rector, Canon John McKegney described Mr Thompson as "a small man, yet a giant in the community with a razor-sharp mind and a superb sense of humour."

He added: "He was a tremendous chap with a great social conscience, who contributed a great deal to society and give willingly of his time."