A Sligo priest has called on the public to fully co-operate with the PSNI and the Garda following the killing of a father-of-four in Co Tyrone last week.
Speaking at the funeral of Sligo native Pat “Big Bang” Ward yesterday, Fr Pat Lombard told mourners that violence was “never the answer to our problems, in reality it only makes a bad situation worse”.
“There are never any winners and not only the families of the victims suffer but those responsible and their families too have to carry a great heartache of pain and regret,” he said.
Mr Ward (30) was found dead in an alleyway in McCrea Park, in Clogher, last Saturday. Two people have been charged in connection with his death.
At St Anne’s Church in Sligo on Friday Fr Lombard commended the PSNI for their investigation of the killing.
“And I would encourage everyone with relevant information to contact the PSNI or the gardaí,” he said.
“The police service north and south of the Border do wonderful work and deserve our full support and I urge anyone with information concerning Pat’s tragic death to contact them.”
He said the community had been “shocked and saddened at the tragic death” and there was “no heartache greater than that of Pat Ward’s widow Ellie”.
“We know the strong bonds of family that binds the Travelling community together,” he said. “At this time of immense tragedy and sorrow we pray for the healing of peace after the events of Clogher.”
He is survived by his wife, Ellie, children Tommy, Leona, Chamara and Pat Jnr and by his parents, Tom and Brigie, and brothers and sisters.