A man who was fatally wounded in a Christmas Eve shooting in a Dublin restaurant had “sensed” the danger and stepped forward to save others and become “a true hero”, his funeral Mass has been told.
Jason Hennessy (48), a father of seven and grandfather of 10, from Corduff, died in the Mater hospital on January 5th, 12 days after being wounded in Browne’s Steakhouse, Blanchardstown. One of the gunmen, Tristan Sherry (26), was overpowered at the scene and fatally injured.
Gardaí believe Sherry, a minor criminal figure from Finglas, wanted to attack Mr Hennessy or some of the men he was with in the restaurant. The machine pistol Sherry used remains unaccounted for.
Hundreds of mourners attended Mr Hennessy’s funeral service, which had an Incredible Hulk theme, on Saturday morning in St Patrick’s Church, Corduff.
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His remains, in an Incredible Hulk-themed coffin, were driven to the church from his home on the nearby Sheephill Estate on the back of a Hulk Recovery truck, the towing company he set up and ran.
The coffin was emblazoned with the words ‘The Boss Man’, with a matching floral tribute. Other floral arrangements read ‘Granda’, ‘Daddy’ and ‘Jay’ while another took the form of the energy drink Red Bull.
Mr Hennessy’s sons, Devon and Jason, walked the short distance to the church in a group of about 15 young men ahead of the tow truck, followed by a large group of mourners.
Many of those in attendance wore green ties and ribbons in keeping with the theme of the funeral. A number of teenagers with horses and sulkies shadowed the funeral cortege.
As the attack by Sherry and his accomplices on Mr Hennessy and his associates followed a feud between rival criminal factions, a heavy Garda presence was maintained around the funeral service.
Uniformed gardaí on foot took up position around the church grounds, checking the side doors as the service began. Other gardaí, including members of the Armed Support Unit, patrolled the streets around the church.
Garda vans, filled with Public Order Unit members, were parked at a community centre about 300 metres from the church. Mr Hennessy’s remains were taken to Glasnevin Cemetery for cremation after his funeral service.
Fr John Regan told mourners he knew Mr Hennessy and his wife, Connie, very well and had been grateful for their assistance when an unspecified issue arose late last year.
“Jason Hennessy was a husband, a father, a grandfather and uncle a brother a son,” he said. “And we pray for you Connie and all the family at this difficult time.”
He said Mr Hennessy and his wife were married in the same church and their children and grandchildren had been baptised there, but now “sadly for all your family Christmas will never be the same again”.
“The message of Christmas is peace and joy and love and life. All our lives are precious, life is a gift from God and the taking of human life is always wrong,” he said.
A lifelong friend of Mr Hennessy’s, identified only as Graham, said “Jayo” was a “truly exceptional man whose presence was a vibrant thread that brought warmth, laughter and unwavering support to our lives”.
“On a heart wrenching Christmas Eve our world got flipped upside down by an event to change everything,” he told those present.
“In the thick of an impending clash, Jason, a beacon of compassion and courage, stepped up. He sensed the danger approaching and leapt into action, saving the lives of the youngest and the oldest. He faced adversity and became a true hero.”
He added that “Jason’s world revolved around his beloved family, his wife Connie and their six kids – Jade, Luke, Devon, Jason, Shelby and Brandon”. While the couple lost their son, Pascal, during pregnancy “his memory endures”.
Mr Hennessy’s “happiness reached new heights when he embraced the role of grandfather”. He was described as a hard working man who initially drove a truck for a DIY company and “never missed a day’s work”. He later built Hulk Recovery into “a thriving business” while recommending others for jobs with his former employer.
“Jason’s heart was an open book and his love for his family and friends knew no bounds. He was a constant presence to lean on during the sunny days and the storm,” his friend said, adding Mr Hennessy’s “legacy of love lived on in the laughter of his children”.
He had a passion for horses and motorbikes, both of which were “his way of connecting with people around him”. He rented lands in Ashbourne, Co Meath, to keep horses and his ideal weekend away was a camping trip with his family to Wicklow and “a gallop on a farmer’s ponies”.
“Jason had a way with horses, he was like a casual horse whisperer, forming genuine connections with it. It was his thing, an instinct to care for animals like it was second nature.”
While five men have been charged in connection with Sherry’s killing, three of them with murder, there have been no arrests to date in relation to Mr Hennessy’s death.
However, gardaí believe Sherry acted with at least two other men on the night. There are now serious concerns that the associates of the two dead men might engage in a fresh round of feuding.
The funeral service for Sherry took place in Finglas last week and though it was a much smaller event, gardaí also put a major security operation in place.
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