Priest at funeral of stab victim questions carrying of knives

The priest officiating at the funeral of a young man who was fatally stabbed on the street last week has questioned why people carry knives when they bring “too much pain and tragedy”.

Conor Quinn (24) was buried in St Michael's Cemetery in Tipperary town on Thursday, after a funeral Mass where mourners heard that the baby due to be born to his partner Stephanie within the coming days will also be named Conor.

Conor Quinn was originally from Loughrea in Co Galway but grew up in Tipperary town. He was living in recent months in the village of Killavullen in north Cork and attended the Cahirmee Horse Fair in Buttevant on Thursday of last week.

Later that day, he was in Mallow town centre when he was stabbed by a man who fled the scene on foot.

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At his funeral Mass on Thursday, symbols of his life were brought to the altar, including an Arsenal jersey, a pair of sunglasses, a set of keys and Conor’s passport, recalling his love of travel.

"Really we should not be gathered here in this church this morning," parish priest Fr Eugene Everard said. "Because, really, Conor should still be alive. He should still be with his family, he should still be with his partner Stephanie and his many, many friends and relations."

He should also be getting ready to celebrate the birth of his and Stephanie’s baby, “due any day now” .

His life had been “tragically and violently” taken away, the parish priest said.

“One thing has been going through my mind in the last few days, when someone so young tragically dies ... why do people carry knives? Again and again we hear that somebody’s life has ended and a knife was used. Why do we carry them? It’s when it comes to our own doorstep that we see the senselessness of it all.... We don’t need them. They bring too much pain and tragedy to people’s lives,” he added.