A 29-year-old man on trial for murder at a funeral in Sligo two years ago denied three further counts of attempted murder as his trial opened in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Mr Martin McDonagh (29), of Cherry Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Patrick Ward (38), who was shot dead at a funeral in Ballymote, Co Sligo, on May 10th, 1999. He also pleaded not guilty to possession of a pistol with intent to endanger life in Ballymote on the same date.
As the trial was due to begin yesterday, Mr McDonagh was arraigned on three further counts of attempted murder. He denied the attempted murder of Mr Patrick Ward snr, Mr Edward Ward and Mr Patrick Ward jnr at the funeral. The alleged attacks occurred as members of the Ward and McDonagh Travelling families were attending the funeral of Mr Patrick Ward's namesake at a cemetery on the Tubbercurry road, on the outskirts of Ballymote.
The jury heard gardai were supervising the funeral and had set up checkpoints on approach roads to it.
The trial, before Mr Justice Patrick Smith, continues in the Central Criminal Court.