"MY FAMILY forgives you. God help you." Those were the words that Mr Mick McGoldrick, father of murdered Lurgan taxi driver, Mr Michael McGoldrick (31), addressed to his son's killers.
As he cried and his body shook with grief, Mr McGoldrick said be and his family would be praying for the murderers.
He said he felt the situation in Drumcree bad something to do with his son's death.
Still unaware that Orangemen been allowed to parade down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Mr McGoldrick, speaking in St Colman's Cemetery in Lurgan yesterday just after burying his son, said to those involved in the Drumcree negotiations. "I ask you today as I bury my son, both of you bury your pride."
In heavy rain, more 2,000 mourners crammed inside and the grounds outside St Peter's Parish Church in Lurgan for the funeral.
Michael McGoldrick's body was found near Aghagallon, four miles from Lurgan, last Monday morning. He had been shot in the head. No one has yet claimed responsibility for his murder.
His wife, Sadie, who is expecting a child in October, clutched both their seven year old daughter, Emma, and Michael's Scotland cap, which he wore while his favourite football team played in the European Cup, as she walked the long road to the cemetery.
Mr McGoldrick, who was from Scotland, graduated from Queen's University last Friday. He wanted to be a teacher. His father said the family had gone through hell.
"I don't want any mother or father going through what my wife and I are going through today. I have watched my daughter in law, I have watched my grandchild go through hell. Don't do it. Please stop this. Bury your pride with my boy."
To those who killed his son, Mr McGoldrick said. "My family forgive you. I pray for you. Believe me, we forgive you. I know you'll see my face on this television. I forgive you, my wife forgives you, my family forgives you. God help you."
Asked if Sir Hugh Annesley had made a different decision on Drumcree would his son still be alive, Mr McGoldrick said. "I would not want to comment on that one way or another. All I know is my son is dead and I have got a feeling that it has got something to do with what is happening in Portadown. It has something to do with it."
When told minutes after he had buried his son that the Orangemen had finally been allowed to parade down the Garvaghy Road, Mr McGoldrick shook his head and said. "Well if my son's death can bring about happiness and friendship in this country, let's love one another."
..... I have met people who are in the same position as I am just now and my wife and my daughter in law and we have an affinity with them. And I pray to God that my son was the last one to die in this unnecessary strife because that is what it is."
At Requiem Mass, which was con celebrated with the Bishop of Dromore, Dr Francis Brooks, the local curate, Father Kieran McPartlan, said. "All those in authority from whatever source have a duty to work for peace and reconciliation in our country."