Funeral of Keane Mulready Woods takes place
The young friends of murder victim Keane Mulready Woods were urged to learn from his mistakes by Fr Phil Gaffney at the teenagers funeral this morning.
He said Keane had got involved with dangerous criminals, thinking some of them were his friends and yet they would sacrifice him in such a brutal manner.
Fr Gaffney told mourners that along with great anger and sadness, there is "great fear and pain" at the thought we live in a society where certain people took it upon themselves to be "judge, jury and executioner".
"What arrogance, what appalling wickedness and evil", he said.
Fr Gaffney said the murder had brought about an unparalleled level of revulsion not only in Drogheda but across the country and beyond.
He wanted to say a special word of condolence ot Keane's young friends. "I know how much his death will affect you. He will be so pleased that you remember him with fondness and that you are shedding tears for him."
"You can be sure that he has not dropped into nothingness or non-existence. He has gone to God who will love and protect him until you see him again in the life of the world to come. We ask God to forgive him for his faults and failings and to be merciful to him," he said.
"To say that the death of Keane has shocked and appalled the town of Drogheda would be a total understatement. This young man, at the time not 18 years of age, has been lost in the most gruesome way to his family. We know that Keane’s tragic death has devastated you. We all want to reach out to you with love and reassurance. We all want to gather round you to uphold you. We want to mourn with you. We want to pray with you for Keane.
"Words are woefully inadequate to express the pain and sorrow in our hearts that we have for you today. We offer our most heartfelt sympathies also to all of Keane’s relatives and family, to his young friends, and to all those who love him and mourn him. May he rest in peace."