Locals numbed by Mayo death

A parish priest told an overflow congregation at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Aughleam, Co Mayo, that the local community was shocked and numbed by the death of John Gaughan (72), who died in suspicious circumstances at the weekend.

Fr Michael Harrison was addressing the congregation at Mr Gaughan's funeral. He portrayed him , as a Good Samaritan type "always looking out for the welfare of others and never seeking any reward".

"Grief is overwhelming but we thank God for John's life and generous nature," Fr Harrison said.

He added: "John loved life and lived it to the full. He was a Massgoer and a man of faith."

As an example of Mr Gaughan's community involvement, Fr Harrison referred to the significant role he played in setting up his local group water scheme and said he was always the voice of reason in any debates on the issue.

So great were the crowds at Mr Gaughan's funeral that many mourners were unable to gain access to the church.

Burial took place later in the local cemetery, overlooking the Atlantic.

The chief mourners at the funeral were his four sisters, Teresa, Mary, Bridie and Ellen, and his two brothers, Pat and Michael.

One of his sisters spoke at the beginning of the Mass and thanked the gardaí, the clergy and their "wonderful friends and neighbours" for the support they had shown the family at a time when John had been taken from them in such an unnatural way.

A man who was being questioned at Belmullet Garda station last Monday in connection with Mr Gaughan's death has been released without charge.

Gardaí say a file on the case is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and the investigations are continuing. Mr Gaughan's body was found in the driveway to his bungalow at Glosh, Blacksod early on Sunday afternoon.

A postmortem carried out by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy established he had not died from natural causes.

Gardaí have established that Mr Gaughan spent a period of time in a pub in Binghamstown on Saturday evening. It is believed that he got a lift home afterwards.