Mass today for man shot dead at Fermanagh wedding
The removal Mass of a man shot dead at a wedding in Fermanagh is taking place today.
Sixty-three-year-old Bernard (Barney) McGinley - a member of the travelling community from Longford who had been living in Athlone - was shot in the chest outside St Mary's Church in Newtownbutler on Wednesday.
He was flown to hospital in a police helicopter but later
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Parish priest at St Mary’s Father Michael King was preparing to conduct the ceremony when the shooting happened outside.
“The bride was standing at the back of the church waiting to come up the aisle and the next thing there was a bit of commotion at the back of the church - several women ran in and said ’there are shots, there are shots, there is somebody shooting’,” he said.
After a delay, the ceremony inside St Mary’s church went ahead.
Fr King said the wedding party had asked for the ceremony to continue as planned.
Detectives think the man who shot McMcGinley was at one time close to his family.
A second man, in his 30s, was also injured during the shooting, but did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
There have been no arrests as yet over the killing. Gardaí are to mount a high-level security operation at today's removal ceremony.
Today's Mass and Monday's funeral are both taking place in Athlone.
