Funeral of Derry fireman takes place today

The funeral is taking place this morning of Mr Joe McCloskey, the first fireman to die on duty in the North in nearly a decade…

The funeral is taking place this morning of Mr Joe McCloskey, the first fireman to die on duty in the North in nearly a decade.

The centre of Dungiven is expected to come to a halt as hundreds converge on the town for Mr McCloskey's funeral.

Mr McCloskey (50), a father of five, never recovered from his injuries after falling through a roof as he tackled flames at the Gorteen House Hotel in Limavady, Co Derry, last Sunday.

Sources close to the investigation revealed that the fire was almost certainly started deliberately.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter