The funeral of 63-year-old Barney McGinley, who was shot dead while attending a family wedding in Fermanagh last week, took place in Athlone on Monday (February 16 ).
There was a huge Garda presence in Athlone throughout the removal, funeral, and burial services, for fear of reprisals, but all passed off without incident.
A large crowd attended the Mass at St Mary’s Church, followed by the burial in Coosan cemetery.
In his homily during the funeral, chief celebrant Fr Turlough Baxter urged those involved in the feud to turn away from violence.
“On a day that was to be a joyful family occasion, others chose to end the goodness of Barney’s life and leave a family in such grief and loss. It takes such a short time to open wounds in others that can take a lifetime to heal. Violence can never be the answer, because all that it does is foster more hurt and violence and delays the day of Justice,” he said.
“Even though Barney has died, for all you who loved him he will live on in the good things he has done, because goodness is always in the end stronger than the evil that others may do to us.”
Mr McGinley is survived by his wife Bridget, nine children, and 49 grandchildren.
