DON'T LET RONAN'S MURDER BE IN VAIN
Don't let Ronan's murder be in vain
Victim's mother pays tribute to 'a wonderful son and brother'
BY PHILIP BRADFIELD AND PA
THE mother of a Catholic police officer who was killed by a car bomb at the weekend has paid tribute to "a wonderful son and brother".
Nuala Kerr's 25-year-old son Ronan, pictured. was murdered as he set out for work from his Omagh home on Saturday afternoon.
But last night Mrs Kerr appealed to other Catholic officers to stand firm, urging: "Don't let his death be in vain."
Mrs Kerr and Ronan's brothers Cathair and Aaron and his sister Dairine paid tribute to him as "a wonderful son and brother who always had a smile and a helping hand for everyone".
They added: "He had all the attributes of a great police officer - fair, empathetic. intelligent, humorous, a great communicator and loyal to all who knew him. And he just loved his work." Mrs Kerr appealed to the public for any information, "no matter how small", about the brutal murder
"Someone knows something," she said. "Would you please come forward and do the right thing so that justice can be done."
Her son had so much to offer and it was a sad day for the community of which Ronan was a valued member, she added.
"This is at a time when we are striving for a neutral police force for the good of our country and I urge all Catholic members not to be deterred by this. We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We don't want to go back to the dark days of fear and terror again. We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for. Don't let his death be in vain."
Mrs Kerr and Ronan's siblings were being comforted at the family home at Drumduff, near Omagh, yesterday. His father Brian died in recent years.
PC Kerr's brother Aaron was travelling home from Australia for Mother's Day and learned the news on a stopover in the United Arab Emirates when he checked Facebook.
The explosion happened on Saturday at around 4pm as the officer got into his car in the residential Highfleld Close development, off the main Gortin Road in Omagh. The blast shocked the town, where 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed in the 1998 Real IRA car bomb attack.
It is understood the victim, a former pupil of the Christian Brothers Grammar School in Omagh. was leaving to start a shift at Enniskillen police station. Co Fermanagh, when he was killed. People who knew him described the young officer as a kind person who "always saw the good in others".
The Gaelic Athletic Association said yesterday it was "deeply saddened" to learn of the murder of Mr Kerr, whom they identified as one of their members.
"The association extends our deepest sympathy to Ronan's family, friends and colleagues," Ulster President Aogan O Fearghail and Tyrone chairman Ciaran Mac Lochlainn said in a joint statement.
"It is difficult to comprehend how a young man with the best interests of our community at heart and who contributed so positively to our community could be attacked in this way. His death demeans humanity and is detrimental to the development of a shared future based on mutual respect."
The GAA officials said that in a rights conscious society there is no greater right than the right to life and the need to protect it. "The GAA has a long standing and publicly stated policy of opposition to violence," they added.
Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte said the murder was a "totally despicable act". His daughter Michaela McAreavey was murdered on her honeymoon in Mauritius several months ago, causing huge upset in the GAA community.
"I know well what that's like at the moment in different circumstances, so I'm really sorry for the family and my prayers and thoughts are with them," Mr Harte said yesterday. "It's a family broken unnecessarily, for no purpose that's going to do the human race any good. I wish to God people would realise that life is so precious and look after it better than that."
FR Art McAnearney had been the Kerr family's priest for some 15 years.
"Ronan had just joined the police recently and had only just begun going out independently as an officer," he told the News Letter. "He was well liked about Omagh. a very nice young lad and very sociable. Ronan was a hard worker and had done some tough jobs, working with concrete and fencing.
"He saw the best in everyone. He discussed his job with me since he joined up and it was clear he wanted to do something worthwhile with his life."
Family friend PJ McClean. a former Police Authority member from Beragh. said Ronan's father had been a commercial traveller who had originally come from west Belfast. "Ronan's mother has had a terrible time this past few years," he said. "Her husband died two years ago and her mother died the same year. Now she also has this terrible tragedy to deal with.
Victim's mother pays tribute to 'a wonderful son and brother'
BY PHILIP BRADFIELD AND PA
THE mother of a Catholic police officer who was killed by a car bomb at the weekend has paid tribute to "a wonderful son and brother".
Nuala Kerr's 25-year-old son Ronan, pictured. was murdered as he set out for work from his Omagh home on Saturday afternoon.
But last night Mrs Kerr appealed to other Catholic officers to stand firm, urging: "Don't let his death be in vain."
Mrs Kerr and Ronan's brothers Cathair and Aaron and his sister Dairine paid tribute to him as "a wonderful son and brother who always had a smile and a helping hand for everyone".
They added: "He had all the attributes of a great police officer - fair, empathetic. intelligent, humorous, a great communicator and loyal to all who knew him. And he just loved his work." Mrs Kerr appealed to the public for any information, "no matter how small", about the brutal murder
"Someone knows something," she said. "Would you please come forward and do the right thing so that justice can be done."
Her son had so much to offer and it was a sad day for the community of which Ronan was a valued member, she added.
"This is at a time when we are striving for a neutral police force for the good of our country and I urge all Catholic members not to be deterred by this. We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We don't want to go back to the dark days of fear and terror again. We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for. Don't let his death be in vain."
Mrs Kerr and Ronan's siblings were being comforted at the family home at Drumduff, near Omagh, yesterday. His father Brian died in recent years.
PC Kerr's brother Aaron was travelling home from Australia for Mother's Day and learned the news on a stopover in the United Arab Emirates when he checked Facebook.
The explosion happened on Saturday at around 4pm as the officer got into his car in the residential Highfleld Close development, off the main Gortin Road in Omagh. The blast shocked the town, where 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed in the 1998 Real IRA car bomb attack.
It is understood the victim, a former pupil of the Christian Brothers Grammar School in Omagh. was leaving to start a shift at Enniskillen police station. Co Fermanagh, when he was killed. People who knew him described the young officer as a kind person who "always saw the good in others".
The Gaelic Athletic Association said yesterday it was "deeply saddened" to learn of the murder of Mr Kerr, whom they identified as one of their members.
"The association extends our deepest sympathy to Ronan's family, friends and colleagues," Ulster President Aogan O Fearghail and Tyrone chairman Ciaran Mac Lochlainn said in a joint statement.
"It is difficult to comprehend how a young man with the best interests of our community at heart and who contributed so positively to our community could be attacked in this way. His death demeans humanity and is detrimental to the development of a shared future based on mutual respect."
The GAA officials said that in a rights conscious society there is no greater right than the right to life and the need to protect it. "The GAA has a long standing and publicly stated policy of opposition to violence," they added.
Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte said the murder was a "totally despicable act". His daughter Michaela McAreavey was murdered on her honeymoon in Mauritius several months ago, causing huge upset in the GAA community.
"I know well what that's like at the moment in different circumstances, so I'm really sorry for the family and my prayers and thoughts are with them," Mr Harte said yesterday. "It's a family broken unnecessarily, for no purpose that's going to do the human race any good. I wish to God people would realise that life is so precious and look after it better than that."
FR Art McAnearney had been the Kerr family's priest for some 15 years.
"Ronan had just joined the police recently and had only just begun going out independently as an officer," he told the News Letter. "He was well liked about Omagh. a very nice young lad and very sociable. Ronan was a hard worker and had done some tough jobs, working with concrete and fencing.
"He saw the best in everyone. He discussed his job with me since he joined up and it was clear he wanted to do something worthwhile with his life."
Family friend PJ McClean. a former Police Authority member from Beragh. said Ronan's father had been a commercial traveller who had originally come from west Belfast. "Ronan's mother has had a terrible time this past few years," he said. "Her husband died two years ago and her mother died the same year. Now she also has this terrible tragedy to deal with.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/819
Published Date: 04-Apr-11
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