Ireland lost two of its "finest young men" when two gardaí were killed in a crash with a stolen car at the weekend, mourners at the funeral of Garda Michael Padden were told yesterday.
The newly appointed Bishop of Killala, Dr John Fleming, presided at the funeral Mass for the 27- year-old garda yesterday at Shanaghy, near Belmullet, on the Erris peninsula, Co Mayo. Father Kevin Hegarty, the parish priest of Kilmore-Erris, was the main celebrant.
Father Hegarty said: "Last Sunday, the peace of this community on the west's farthest shore was shattered by the early morning turmoil in our capital city.
"When the cost was counted, two members of a respected police force had lost their lives in the service of others and we had lost two of our finest young men."
Among the mourners in the tiny Church of Our Lady of Dolours, were the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue; the Deputy Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy; Chief Supt John Carey, head of the Mayo Garda Division; Judge Mary Devins of the district court and senior gardaí from all divisions around the State.
The President, Mrs McAleese, was represented by her ADC, Comdt Tom Boyce, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was represented by his ADC, Capt Ger O'Grady.
Prominent among the mourners were Garda Padden's girlfriend, Ms Lisa Nills, and Garda Colm Tighe, son of the second victim of the Stillorgan crash, Garda Tony Tighe.Two cousins of Garda Padden, Ms Justine Reilly and Ms Joyce Padden, did the readings.
Father Hegarty said that since Sunday, a thick cloud of gloom had settled over the community where Michael John had lived most of his young life and formed the identity that made him special.
"He grew up in the shelter of Shanaghy," Father Hegarty continued. "Along our quiet roads he walked. In our small fields, he worked. Here he sported and played. By his granny and grandaunt's fireside he learned the religious values and civic responsibility that inspired his life. And so he became the man of whom we are proud, whom we loved and who loved us."
Father Hegarty described Garda Padden as gentle, respectful, humorous and courteous. He loved his work in the guards and hoped to leave Dublin eventually and settle nearer his roots.
The manner of the death of the two gardaí obliged us "to look at the kind of society we are creating", Father Hegarty said. We needed to ask ourselves if we had magnified social and economic growth at the expense of social cohesion.
Father Hegarty continued: "Unless we ask this deep, soul searching questions, Michael John and Tony will have died in vain."
The crowd outside Shanaghy church, which has limited accommodation, was greater than inside. Chairs were brought over from Belmullet so that exterior seating could be provided.
Hundreds of gardaí from all over the State marched in respectful silence behind the hearse for a time before boarding buses to complete the journey.
At Emlybeg cemetery, the State funeral concluded when the Tricolour, which had been draping Garda Padden's coffin, was removed and was presented, along with his Garda cap, to his aunt, Ms Angela Padden, and the Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Garda bandsmen.