A hearse, drawn by four black horses with black feather plumes on their heads, carried the coffin of builder Clinton McCormack through the streets of Gorey, Co Wexford, on Saturday afternoon.
The funeral cortege was followed by a crowd of about 400 people, a number of them driving in a line of SUVs.
Mr McCormack died of a previously undiagnosed illness in St Vincent’s hospital, Dublin, on December 19th, five days after being shot on a building site in Delgany, Co Wicklow, where he was working at the time.
Mr McCormack’s widow, Samantha, and the couple’s three children, Clinton, Courtney and Caoimhe, along with the large attendance were welcomed to St Michael’s Parish Church by local priest Fr Roger O’Neill.
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Fr O’Neill told the congregation that losing a loved one at Christmas was especially hard and seemed to be in contradiction to the lights and celebrations of Christ’s birth. But he said even at the darkest time of year, the Gospel of St Luke, which deals with the cruxification, recalls the promise of eternal life.
Symbols of Mr McCormack’s life were displayed before the altar, including a football to show his love of the game, a hammer to represent his work as a builder and a picture of his family to represent his love of those close to him.
[ Man shot at Wicklow building site last week diesOpens in new window ]
In a eulogy, Mr McCormack’s brother, Stephen, said Clinton was the first born in the family and “someone I looked up to my entire life”. He said his brother was “strong, powerful and driven in everything he set out to achieve”.
He said Clinton had “scored many goals over the years but the biggest goal he achieved was when he and Samantha met, when they began dating and became childhood sweethearts”.
Stephen McCormack also read tributes to his brother from Clinton’s son and two daughters.
Thanks were also expressed to the staff of the intensive care unit at St Vincent’s hospital, Dublin when Mr McCormack spent his final days.
As the funeral cortege left after the requiem Mass, the horse-drawn hearse was preceded through the streets by a number of SUVs and followed by a black Mercedes people-carrier with blacked-out windows. Rock music was played from some of the vehicles. As mourners followed the hearse through Gorey to St Michael’s cemetery, the town was brought to a standstill for the second time that day.
Mr McCormack had been recovering from his injuries in hospital following the December 14th attack. It was hoped he would survive the gunshot injuries to his arms and legs. But while in hospital it was discovered he had a previously undiagnosed medical condition. He died suddenly on December 19th. Gardaí are continuing to investigate the attack on him and have recovered a vehicle thought to have been used in the attack.
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