Thousands of mourners queued for more than five hours to pay their final respects to the garda killed while attending at the scene of a road traffic collision in Co Limerick on Sunday morning.
Mourners filed through the town of Croom, Co Limerick, yesterday to sympathise with the family of father of three Garda Brian Kelleher, a native of Mallow, Co Cork, but resident in Bruree, Co Limerick. Garda Kelleher (46) and part-time firefighter and father of four Michael Liston (48) from Foynes, Co Limerick, were killed instantly at about 5.15am on Sunday on the main Foynes to Askeaton road when they were hit by a car while helping to make the road safe following an earlier collision.
Last night, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell joined with mourners in Croom to sympathise with Garda Kelleher's widow Marie and children James (10), Finbarr (8) and Christopher (6) as he paid tribute to the popular officer.
"I've come here this evening to pay tribute to Garda Kelleher and his distinguished service to the State," said Mr McDowell. "I would like to express my condolences to his wife Marie and sons James, Finbarr and Christopher and his parents Michael and Máire and his extended family and friends in the Garda."
Deputy commissioner Fachtna Murphy and assistant commissioner Catherine Clancy were among the hundreds of gardaí who attended last night's removal.
For more than five hours a line of mourners filed through Croom, past the Garda station where Garda Kelleher served for the past nine years, before reaching the funeral home to extend their sympathy to his family. Escorted by a group of Garda motorcyclists, Garda Kelleher's body made the 10-mile journey to Dromin near Bruree where he was received at the church of the Holy Trinity by the Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray. Dromin parish priest Fr Tony Mullins, who will celebrate the Requiem Mass for Garda Kelleher today, said the funeral was likely to be the largest to date in the parish.
Meanwhile, firefighter Michael Liston's widow Bernadette and their children Noelle (23), Lynn (19), Niall (16) and Ann (15) received expressions of sympathy and support from hundreds of people at their home at Dernish Avenue in Foynes.Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Batt O'Keeffe will represent the Government at Mr Liston's funeral.