A large crowd attended the removal tonight of Paddy Barry, the pensioner who died earlier this week after a violent attack on his Waterford home.
Mourners included his grandson, Keith Barry the well-known entertainer and magician.
Mr Barry’s remains were taken from Thompson’s Funeral Home to the Church of the Most Holy Trinity Without in Ballybricken.
The hearse carried a large floral tribute with the words “Great Grandad” spelled out in pink against a white background. The cortege, led by a garda motorcyclist, diverted en route to the church to pass Mr Barry’s house on Mount Sion Avenue. Six grandsons carried his coffin into the church.
His funeral will take place tomorrow morning to St Otteran’s Cemetery following a Requiem Mass.
Mr Barry is survived by four sons, a brother, a sister, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr Barry (82), a retired postal worker and widower who lived alone suffered what gardaí described as a “violent attack” on his terraced home 10 days ago.
He had telephoned to alert gardaí but when they arrived at the house they found Mr Barry unconscious and he was admitted to Waterford Regional Hospital suffering head and other injuries.
He died there last Tuesday morning.
Supt Chris Delaney who is leading the investigation said that a post-mortem had revealed that there was “no evidence of a physical assault” on Mr Barry. It is believed that he may have fallen having been disturbed by a burglar or burglars who entered his home at about 9pm.
The incident prompted widespread condemnation and members of the Barry went on national radio to call for changes in the law to protect the elderly and for mandatory sentences to be imposed on criminals convicted of assaulting old-age pensioners.