The family of a young man who was shot dead outside a house in Ballymun two weeks ago have been praying for his killers, his funeral Mass has heard.
Clinton Shannon (30), was one of two people who died following a botched gangland shooting on Balbutcher Drive on August 16th. Antoinette Corbally (48), a mother of six, was also killed in the incident, in which her brother Derek Devoy is believed to have been the real target.
Mr Shannon, a locksmith, had no involvement in crime, according to gardaí.
At the Mass in Laytown, Co Meath on Thursday, parish priest Fr Denis McNelis said two innocent people had been killed that day.
He said Mr Shannon’s parents, Kathleen and Tommy, would “have every right to be enraged” but instead they “hold no animosity, no grudge, no hatred” toward their son’s killers.
‘Inspired by their faith’
Fr McNelis said Mr Shannon’s parents had been “inspired by their faith” and Tommy Shannon had explained that “Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us”.
The priest said Tommy Shannon had told him: “We will pray for the people who did this to Clinton.”
Soloist Sinead Lyons sang Be not Afraid as the coffin was placed at the altar.
The chief mourners were Mr Clinton’s parents, his partner Ciara and his siblings Caroline, Thomas and Keith and their families.
Fr McNelis told mourners the family prayed that people would have “the courage to cease fire” in the feud which resulted in Mr Shannon’s death.
“It is not beyond humanity to seek an end to violence. If anyone could do anything, would they not seek a ceasefire so that another of their loved ones would not lie in death. Our prayer today is that people will have the courage to do just that.”
He continued: “Those who did to Clinton are not free, they must constantly look behind their backs, imprison themselves in bullet proof vests and for all their power and bravado, what quality of life have they?”
He said the “mindless tit-for-tat circle of vengeance that is spiralling out of all control” was further away from God’s kingdom.
The virtuous would be welcomed into heaven, he said, but those who neglected to do to the least of his bretheren as he would do to Christ would “go to eternal punishment”. This was not what Jesus wanted, and there was still time for each person to forsake evil ways and make their peace with God, he said.
