Ex-IRA man was `true to himself'

Those who breach the narrow republican paramilitary code pay the penalty in life, and in death, as was evident at the funeral of Eamon Collins in Newry, Co Down, yesterday evening.

In the North they call them "touts' funerals" - sad, pathetic affairs where only the nearest and dearest of the deceased dare to appear in public to mourn.

Yet despite the small turnout there was nothing pathetic about this funeral. Mr Collins, author and former IRA man who renounced IRA violence and challenged the accepted tenets of republicanism in its very heartland had, as the Rev Peter McVerry said, been totally true to himself.

"I think he was a man who believed in himself," said Father McVerry, with whom Mr Collins had worked helping homeless boys in Dublin. "He was at peace with himself. He was determined not to let anybody control his life, no matter what the risks." Mr Collins lived in Barcroft, a fairly republican estate in Newry. Only about 60 people, led by his distraught wife and four children, followed his funeral cortege from his home. But away from Barcroft others turned out to pay their respects to his wife, Bernie, their children, Tiarnach, Lorcan, Sorcha and Aoife, and his mother, Kathleen. Mr Collins, before articulately and trenchantly abjuring republican violence, had been responsible for the deaths of up to 15 people. He also betrayed his former colleagues in the IRA, but rejected the insult of "tout" or informer.

Mr Collins said he broke under RUC interrogation, but recanted his evidence. "Many others did the same and were never called informers, so why should I be labelled an informer?" he said.

Despite previous attacks and regular intimidation of himself and his family he refused to leave Barcroft. Father McVerry said he could understand his reckless obstinacy. "I think it was Eamon's way of serving the truth," he said.

"Eamon was in many ways unfortunate. These days as we listen to the news, we hear politicians use his death to suit themselves," Rev Peter McParland, chief officiating priest at the funeral Mass, told over 200 mourners who gathered in St Catherine's Church, Newry.

"Those who never knew him, many who didn't want to know him, would now use his death, a death which we must remember is above all a tragedy, a disaster for his wife and family."

Too many families in Northern Ireland had suffered and he hoped all could now look to the future. "We pray that this death, this pointless killing may be the last that any of us have to experience. "Too many people have gathered as we do today, too many tears have been shed, too many children have lost parents, there's been too much suffering," said Father McParland.

And referring to the earlier scriptural reading of a "a time to kill, a time to heal, a time for war, a time for peace", he added: "May we take the word of the prophet to heart, as 70 per cent of the country did last May, and say `yes', now is the time for peace."

As police continued their investigation into Mr Collins's murder, the "Real IRA" yesterday denied any part in the killing.