State funeral of Det Garda Donohoe taking place

The State funeral of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe is taking place in Dundalk, Co Louth.

Chief celebrant Fr Michael Cusack told the congregation that no one could adequately put into words the pain suffered by Det Garda Donohoe's wife and children.

The married father-of-two was killed while on escort duty at Bellurgan, Jenkinstown, last Friday night.

The 41-year-old was shot dead by a gang as they robbed the Lordship Credit Union.

The President, Taoiseach and members of the Cabinet attended the funeral mass at St Joseph's Redemptorist Church.

The Dáil and the Seanad adjourned for several hours as a mark of respect and to allow members to attend the service.

Detective Garda Joe Ryan, who was on duty with Det Donohoe when he was killed, was among pall bearers who carried his Tricolour-draped coffin, with his garda cap and gloves atop, into the church.

Uniformed colleagues formed a guard of honour as the cortege arrived to be met by Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.

It is estimated that around 2,500 uniformed gardaí, and up to 1,000 plain-clothes officers, attended the mass.

Many businesses in Dundalk closed as the garda's cortege passed through the town on its way to his final resting place in Lordship, close to where he died.

Fr Cusack said Adrian was a loyal, honest, virtuous and faithful man who laid down his life for his community.

"The whole country is gutted by what has happened," he said.

Donohoe was the 'perfect role model'

Fr Cusack said the murdered detective was the perfect role model for everybody and the callous mowing down of his innocent life was a reminder that there was good and evil.

"So many people today no longer offer their services freely to the community but Adrian always did," he said.

He told Det Garda Donohoe's wife there were no words that could bring her husband and the father of her children back, but he hoped the support of her family, friends as well as colleagues and the GAA would give her some comfort.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan spoke towards the end of the mass and reassured mourners that the killers will be found.

"No words can adequately express the great sense of loss and revulsion felt by the Donohoe family, the family of An Garda Síochána and indeed the wider public in learning about the cold blooded murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe last Friday night," he said.

"We, Adrian's colleagues, are committed to ensuring that we bring the perpetrators responsible for this callous crime to justice.

"Our resolve is strengthened by the overwhelming support from the President of Ireland, the Government and members of the public."

The Commissioner praised the public for the outpouring of solidarity across the country with messages of sympathy and support being sent to police in stations in every county and online.

"To the local community in the Dundalk and Cooley peninsula, we are forever in your debt for the outstanding generosity you have shown to the Donohoe family and An Garda Síochána at this most difficult time," he said.

"Adrian, Detective Garda, husband, father, son, brother, colleague, community leader, GAA man, friend, we will never forget you."

Before the mass, Fr Cusack said that Det Garda Donohoe's wife Caroline made all the arrangements.

Fr Cusack said: "Her grief cannot be overridden by pomp and ceremony. We have deferred to her on all decisions.

"She has prepared the mass herself. I was with her until 11.30pm last night.

"We just prepared our building here for accommodating those who have to be accommodated.

"But beyond that it is about Caroline, her children, Adrian's parents, both of the families and all the garda colleagues."

Garda Donohoe is the first garda shot dead for 17 years since Garda Jerry McCabe was killed by an IRA gang in a post office raid.

Mr McCabe's wife, Ann, joined mourners in Dundalk today.

Meanwhile, the Irish League of Credit Unions has offered a reward of €50,000 for information leading to the capture of Det Garda Donohoe's killers.

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