Kerr funeral to be show of unity

Murdered Northern Ireland policeman’s family will be joined by politicians and sporting figures from both sides of border Leading figures from Irish politics, the police and sport, from both sides of the border, will join together to mourn the Catholic police officer murdered in Omagh at the weekend. Ireland’s prime minister, Enda Kenny, and Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, will attend a requiem mass for Constable Ronan Kerr in his home village of Beragh at midday. In a symbolic move, the country’s largest sporting organisation, the Gaelic Athletic Association, and officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland are both expected to be involved in a guard of honour flanking the coffin. The 25-year-old will be buried at the Church of St Patrick in Drumduff, Co Tyrone. He died when a bomb exploded under his car outside his home in the Highfield area of Omagh on Saturday afternoon. Dissident republicans are believed to have carried out the attack, although no group has claimed responsibility. The British government will be represented at the service by the Northern Ireland secretary, Owen Paterson. It will also be attended by Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, the Irish opposition leader, Michael Martin, the Ulster Unionist party leader, Tom Elliott, and several church leaders. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has organised a lunchtime rally in Belfast at the same time as the funeral on Wednesday to allow people to express their condemnation at the killing. Books of condolence have been opened across Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland police service said on its Facebook page that it had been “overwhelmed by messages of sympathy and support”. The Crimestoppers charity offered a £50,000 reward on Tuesday for information leading to those responsible for the murder. Northern Ireland UK security and terrorism Police Ireland Europe Henry McDonald guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 6, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.