Funeral of wedding-shooting victim attended by up to 600

About 600 mourners attended the funeral in Athlone of the man shot at a wedding in Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh last week. Barney McGinley (63) had been married for 41 years and had a family of nine.

Fr Turlough Baxter told the congregation at St Mary’s Church the attack in which Mr McGinley died last Wednesday was now part of the story of their lives.

“It takes such a short time to open wounds in others that can take a lifetime to heal,” he said during his homily.

“Violence can never be the answer, because all that it does is foster more hurt and violence and delays the day of justice.

“On a day that was to be a joyful family occasion, others chose to end the goodness of Barney’s life and leave a family in such grief and loss.”

Mr McGinley, a member of the Travelling community from Athlone, was shot shortly before the wedding of two Travellers in St Mary’s Church in Newtownbutler. He was flown to hospital in a police helicopter but died from his injuries. A second man, aged in his 30s, was shot and wounded, and a third man was injured when he was struck by what police described as a “scythe-like” implement.

The Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland are co-operating in the murder investigation launched after Mr McGinley’s death.

The funeral was attended by his widow Brigid and their nine children: Marie, Margaret, Michelle, Noel, Barney, Pamela,Patrick, Michael and Denis. There are also 49 grandchildren.

Fr Baxter said mourners had described Mr McGinley to him as a “patient father, a good friend, always at your side, someone you could trust in. A gentleman is also how some of you have described Barney to me.”

In a letter read at the funeral his children paid tribute to a trusting and supportive father who was a man of integrity.

“We wonder if we ever thanked you enough for the sacrifices you made to let us have the very best,” it said. “And for the simple things like laughter, smiles and times we shared . . . and hoping you knew all along how much you meant to us.”

Security operation

There was a large but discreet Garda presence in town for the funeral. The area immediately around the church was patrolled by about 20 to 30 uniformed gardaí. They were supported by members of the Regional Support Unit (RSU) – an armed rapid reaction force – in vehicles and on foot. The RSU also manned checkpoints on the main routes into the town.

Gardaí in public order uniforms were available in marked Garda vans parked near the church in the event of trouble, but the mood was subdued throughout the afternoon.

Checkpoints were also erected on the road taken by the mourners to Coosan cemetery three kilometres outside the town. Gardaí at the checkpoints spoke to some drivers and requested identification. Some vehicles were quickly searched.

The Garda helicopter flew a reconnaissance flight over the cemetery earlier in the day. A large number of uniformed officers, armed detectives and RSU members were on duty in the rural area where the cemetery is located.

The security operation was mounted because of fears the murder of Mr McGinley may lead to revenge attacks and a prolonged feud. Tensions are high because the men suspected of his killing are still on the run.

Mr McGinley had been attending the wedding of two young people from the Traveller community aged 16- and 17-years-old. He was shot in the chest in front of his wife and some of their grandchildren as he was about to walk down the aisle.Those involved in the shooting made off towards the Border about four miles away.

Shortly before the shooting, local parish priest Fr Michael King had intervened in an attempt to defuse a serious altercation between a group of men involving “kicking and thumping”.

Fr King said the fighting stopped but restarted before the shots were fired.

The PSNI has said it knows the identity of the killer and those who aided him and has called on them to give themselves up.