Two jet-black thoroughbred stallions towed the horse-drawn carriage carrying the body of Martin Anthony McDonagh, a local "King of the Travellers", to his last resting place in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, yesterday.Tom Shiel reports.
There were poignant scenes in the graveyard as young women cascaded red roses into the grave after the coffin had been lowered. A number of Traveller youths then unknotted the black ties around their necks and also threw them into the open grave.
Hundreds of Travellers from all over Ireland and some from Britain attended the funeral of the 39-year-old father of nine who died in a Berkshire hospital last month from stab wounds inflicted by what police describe as "a long-bladed weapon".
Two men have been charged in connection with Mr McDonagh's murder and will appear again at Reading Crown Court on December 11th. One of Mr McDonagh's sons sustained stab wounds in the Slough incident but he made a good recovery and attended the funeral.
The main celebrant of Requiem Mass at St Patrick's church was the parish priest of Ballyhaunis, Canon Joseph Cooney.
Mr McDonagh inherited his "royal" title from his father, Thomas, who died in January of last year.
There were large crowds on the streets of Ballyhaunis as the colourful cortege, headed by the hearse carrying banks of flowers and wreaths, passed by on the one-mile route to the cemetery. After leaving St Patrick's church, it went part of the way to Tooraree Estate where Mr McDonagh lived for a while as a youngster before emigrating to England. The cortege included a white pick-up van, also filled with floral tributes, and a stretch limousine which carried family members including Mr McDonagh's widow.
Most pubs in Ballyhaunis closed during the funeral and remained closed for most of the evening afterwards. Gardaí maintained a low-key presence but there were no incidents.