The nephew of a man murdered at a funeral in Sligo has told a jury that his accused cousin shouted to those assembled: "Shoot him, kill them, shoot them."
Five men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward in May 1999 at Carrownanty Cemetery in Ballymote, Co Sligo.
Mr Patrick Ward jnr (30) has told the Central Criminal Court that when he arrived with his wife and father at the cemetery for a family funeral, they were met by a crowd of 150 people.
Mr Michael McDonagh snr (58), Mr Martin McDonagh snr (53), Mr Michael McDonagh jnr (29), Mr Patrick McDonagh (33) and Mr Martin McDonagh jnr (26) from Hertfordshire, have all denied the murder of Mr Ward.
Mr "Deuce" Ward, (38), a father of six who was originally from Galway but lived in Manchester, had travelled to Ireland for the funeral of his uncle, also Patrick Ward, in Ballymote, Co Sligo on May 10th, 1999, when he was fatally shot.
The five men have also pleaded not guilty to the possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger life.
They also have denied the attempted murder of Mr Patrick Ward snr, Mr Patrick Ward jnr and Mr Edward Ward on the same occasion.
The accused men also pleaded not guilty to causing violent disorder on the same date.
Mr Patrick Ward jnr told the court that he had been living in England at the time of the shooting and had returned with his wife for the funeral of her uncle.
The father of four told the jury that he is the second cousin of one of the accused, Mr Michael McDonagh snr, and his brother, Mr Martin McDonagh snr.
He said he knew them and their sons "nearly all my life".
He said that Mr [ Michael] McDonagh's niece was married to his uncle, Mr Bernie Ward.
Mr Patrick Ward jnr told the jury that the deceased was his uncle, Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward.
The witness said he travelled to the funeral on the morning of May 10th, 1999, with his wife, Shirley, and his father in a green Toyota Hiace 99G van from Galway.
"We were stopped at police checkpoints a half a mile from the graveyard.
"Six to seven police officers searched the van. There were a couple of shovels in the back, they were used for block paving work," said Mr Ward jnr.
He said the gardaí took possession of the shovels.
"They took them, they took anything like a wheel brace from the van."
When Mr Ward jnr pulled up at the cemetery, he said he saw 150 of the McDonagh family in front of him.
"There was a lot of movement in the crowd," he said.
His father got out of the van and started to walk towards them, said Mr Ward jnr. "A load of young lads started throwing tarmac and rocks," he said.
The witness was asked by prosecuting counsel did he recognise any of the men throwing rocks at him and his father.
He said he had "seen a few of the 'Priest' McDonagh's" in the crowd, "they are another clan of the Bumbee McDonagh's".
"My father shouted at the Bumbee Michael 'Hitler' [ McDonagh], saying 'I want to talk to you'. He didn't answer. He shouted again to the Hitler.
"Then Hitler said to the crowd: 'Shoot them, kill them, shoot them'," he told the jury.
Mr Ward jnr said at this stage four of Mr Michael McDonagh's sons stepped out from the crowd armed with handguns.
"They started firing shots.
"We kept walking forward, pressing the crowd back. The four sons of Hitler Bumbee snr [ Michael McDonagh snr] went back into the crowd.
"Bumbee snr [ Martin McDonagh] then came out of the crowd with a pickaxe in his hand," he said.
Mr Ward told the jury that Mr Michael McDonagh snr then stepped forward with a pick hammer and shouted: "Shoot them, kill them, kill them."
The crowd moved, he said, and six men came forward with guns.
"Each took aim and started firing.
"I smelt smoke, I thought I was shot. I thought I wouldn't feel it if a bullet went through me. I was looking for blood," he told the jury.
The 30-year-old said he ran because three of Mr Michael McDonagh's sons were following him. "They were still shooting at me."
He said he ran into the driveway of a house.
"I saw Hilter's [ Michael snr] son Michael McDonagh jnr pointing a gun in my direction."
The father of four said he slid one of the door's back and "burst" the other door open with his shoulder.
His wife then joined him in the house, he said, and he looked out a bathroom window where he could see a "big crowd" outside.
He could hear Mr Martin McDonagh say "burn it, break it", which the witness believed to be his 99G van.
"I asked the man who owned the house did he have a gun. He said 'no'."