The funeral of gangland killer Tristan Sherry passed off without incident on Tuesday morning amid a significant Garda presence. About 100 mourners, the vast majority young men in their late teens and early 20s, gathered for the funeral Mass in Finglas, north Dublin.
Members of the wider community in Finglas stayed away from what was a short and low-key service, aside from the large Garda presence. Floral tributes included those in the form of a motorbike, a sports car and a bottle of Grey Goose vodka, with others reading “Big T”, “son” and “daddy”.
Fr Richard Hyland told mourners that when Jesus was crucified he was “battered and bruised and his torn body was nailed to the cross” though his “response to violence was forgiveness”.
“If we pursue an eye for an eye it leaves us all blind; blind to the sacredness that is every human life, blind to the violence that causes so much heartache and pain,” he said.
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Sherry, a 26-year-old father of one from Finglas, shot Jason Hennessy (48) in Browne’s Steakhouse, Blanchardstown, west Dublin, on Christmas Eve before being overpowered at the scene and killed there. Hennessy later died from his injuries.
Sherry’s funeral Mass took place at St Canice’s Church, Finglas, where uniformed gardaí took up position inside the church grounds, including manning the side doors during the service. The Garda’s Armed Support Unit was also positioned in the church car park while Garda vans, carrying public order gardaí, were parked outside the grounds.
Some gardaí in marked vehicles also joined the funeral procession, which was small, as it made its way into Glasnevin Cemetery after the funeral service.
There are now concerns within the Garda the killings of both men will result in further violence.
Sherry’s remains were taken to Massey’s funeral home in Finglas village, directly across the road from St Canice’s Church, on Monday, with a significant Garda presence there from early in the day.
The grounds of the church were also searched, and a Garda presence maintained around the funeral home, for fear Sherry’s rivals may have sought to attack the funeral or even desecrate his remains.
A similar Garda operation is expected to be put in place for the funeral of Jason Hennessy later this week. His remains are due to repose at his home on the Sheephill estate, Corduff, from Thursday. His funeral Mass is scheduled to take place at 11am on Saturday at St Patrick’s Church, Corduff, followed by cremation at Glasnevin Cemetery.
In the weeks since the violent events of Christmas Eve, gardaí have been conducting two separate investigations in the killings of both men. To date, four men have been charged in relation to the killing of Sherry; three charged with murder and one man with assault.
The machine pistol used by Sherry, who acted with at least one armed accomplice, remains unaccounted for. Gardaí believe associates of Hennessy took that firearm from Browne’s Steakhouse before the emergency services arrived. While a teenager was arrested for questioning last week about that gun, he was released without charge.
Although Sherry died on Christmas Eve, his funeral was delayed as the suspects for his murder were entitled under law to have an independent postmortem carried out on his remains. It is understood the Garda’s obligation to comply with that legal right may have delayed the funeral, though gardaí have made no comment on that.
Hennessy died in hospital on January 5th. Though a fortnight will have passed by the time his funeral takes place, such a delay is not unusual in a gangland killing. An extensive series of tests must be carried out on a victim’s remains for evidential purposes.
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