MODERN DAY HERO TO BE LAID TO REST
Modern day hero' to be laid to rest
Terror returns to Omagh as police officer murdered
by Jonathan Rainey
A SOMBRE mood has engulfed the people of Omagh and the surrounding districts, as they prepare to lay to rest the young police officer brutally murdered in a car bomb attack in the town at the weekend.
Constable Ronan Padraig Kerr (25), originally from Drumduff, near Beragh, was killed after the booby-trap device exploded as he got into his car outside his Highfield Close home, off the Gortin Road, just before 4pm on Saturday. It is believed that the bomb was made up of half-a-kilo of high explosives, housed in a small, grey plastic box.
The former pupil of Christian Brothers Grammar School, who had been based in Enniskillen for the last three months, had only joined the PSNI in May 2010.
Large numbers of mourners, including Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, are expected to attend his funeral in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Beragh, which is starting at noon today (Wednesday), followed by burial in the graveyard adjoining St Patrick's Church in Drumduff. An independent charity, Crimestoppers, announced yesterday that it is offering a �50,000 reward for information leading to those responsible for the policeman's murder.
Books of condolence in memory of Constable Kerr have been opened in Omagh and at police stations in the PSNI's F District, which covers Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon and South
Tyrone and Fermanagh.
Although no group has as yet claimed responsibility for the fatal explosion, detectives investigating the murder say that dissident republicans form the "strongest line" of inquiry
There have been no arrests as part of a "painstaking" investigation, which is in its early stages, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed yesterday.
Just hours before the horrific blast on Saturday afternoon, over 2,000 runners ran past the entrance to the Highfield Close development as part of the route of the annual Omagh Half-Marathon.
As news of the policeman's death circulated around Omagh on Saturday evening, local people drew disturbing parallels with the tragic events of August 15, 1998, when a Real IRA car bomb killed 29 people, including unborn twins, on the same day the town celebrated a summer carnival.
Only the second police officer to be murdered since the formation of the PSNI, the Drumduff man's death has provoked widespread shock and revulsion from all sections of the community in Northern Ireland, and across the globe.
Thousands of poignant tributes to the popular young man, a former player with Beragh Red Knights GFC, have been posted on special pages set up in his honour on a variety of social networking websites, including Facebook and Twitter.
Speaking in Omagh hours after the attack, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott described his dead colleague a "modern day hero".
Twenty-four hours later, Ronan's grieving mother, Nuala, supported by her other children, sons Cathair and Aaron, and daughter Dairine, urged Catholic police officers not to be deterred from serving in the PSNI.
Don't let his death be in vain," she said.
As the village of Beragh struggled to come to terms with the devastating loss, a steady stream of mourners, including Northern Ireland's First Minister, Mr Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, visited the grieving Kerr family home to pay their respects.
Speaking yesterday, Rev Arthur McAnerny, the local parish priest, said there was a lot of grief and sympathy around the village, but also a lot of admiration for Ronan Kerr and, in particular, his mother.
'"People were impressed with her tribute to Ronan that was broadcast on television on Sunday. She wrote the statement herself," Fr McAnerny said.
With Constable Kerr's remains returned to the family home on Monday evening, preparations could be finalised for his funeral, which is taking place today (Wednesday) in the Church of Immaculate Conception, Beragh, with Requiem Mass starting at noon.
A guard of honour will be formed by police and GAA representatives, schoolchildren and neighbours. It is expected that the school pupils will come from Constable Kerr's former schools, Drumduff Primary School and the Christian Brothers, as well as from Loreto Grammar School, which his sister, Dairine, attends.
Given the deep-rooted feeling of anger felt across the province at the young officer's death, a large crowd is expected to attend the funeral, including the First Minister, Taoiseach and a host of other high-profile public figures.
The service will be jointly-presided over by the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, and the Church of Ireland's Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev Alan Harper.
Beragh parish priest, Fr McAnerny, will be the chief celebrant at the funeral service, with Rev John Skinnader, a relative of the Kerr family, giving the sermon.
Meanwhile, the police have renewed their appeal to speak to residents of the Highfleld area of Omagh, as well as anyone who saw or spoke to Ronan in the days leading up to his death.
"We want to talk to anyone who saw or spoke to Ronan since last Friday, especially if he was in his car, a black Ford Mondeo, registration number PNZ 1114. We really do need to talk to you," a PSNI spokesperson said.
Terror returns to Omagh as police officer murdered
by Jonathan Rainey
A SOMBRE mood has engulfed the people of Omagh and the surrounding districts, as they prepare to lay to rest the young police officer brutally murdered in a car bomb attack in the town at the weekend.
Constable Ronan Padraig Kerr (25), originally from Drumduff, near Beragh, was killed after the booby-trap device exploded as he got into his car outside his Highfield Close home, off the Gortin Road, just before 4pm on Saturday. It is believed that the bomb was made up of half-a-kilo of high explosives, housed in a small, grey plastic box.
The former pupil of Christian Brothers Grammar School, who had been based in Enniskillen for the last three months, had only joined the PSNI in May 2010.
Large numbers of mourners, including Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, are expected to attend his funeral in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Beragh, which is starting at noon today (Wednesday), followed by burial in the graveyard adjoining St Patrick's Church in Drumduff. An independent charity, Crimestoppers, announced yesterday that it is offering a �50,000 reward for information leading to those responsible for the policeman's murder.
Books of condolence in memory of Constable Kerr have been opened in Omagh and at police stations in the PSNI's F District, which covers Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon and South
Tyrone and Fermanagh.
Although no group has as yet claimed responsibility for the fatal explosion, detectives investigating the murder say that dissident republicans form the "strongest line" of inquiry
There have been no arrests as part of a "painstaking" investigation, which is in its early stages, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed yesterday.
Just hours before the horrific blast on Saturday afternoon, over 2,000 runners ran past the entrance to the Highfield Close development as part of the route of the annual Omagh Half-Marathon.
As news of the policeman's death circulated around Omagh on Saturday evening, local people drew disturbing parallels with the tragic events of August 15, 1998, when a Real IRA car bomb killed 29 people, including unborn twins, on the same day the town celebrated a summer carnival.
Only the second police officer to be murdered since the formation of the PSNI, the Drumduff man's death has provoked widespread shock and revulsion from all sections of the community in Northern Ireland, and across the globe.
Thousands of poignant tributes to the popular young man, a former player with Beragh Red Knights GFC, have been posted on special pages set up in his honour on a variety of social networking websites, including Facebook and Twitter.
Speaking in Omagh hours after the attack, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott described his dead colleague a "modern day hero".
Twenty-four hours later, Ronan's grieving mother, Nuala, supported by her other children, sons Cathair and Aaron, and daughter Dairine, urged Catholic police officers not to be deterred from serving in the PSNI.
Don't let his death be in vain," she said.
As the village of Beragh struggled to come to terms with the devastating loss, a steady stream of mourners, including Northern Ireland's First Minister, Mr Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, visited the grieving Kerr family home to pay their respects.
Speaking yesterday, Rev Arthur McAnerny, the local parish priest, said there was a lot of grief and sympathy around the village, but also a lot of admiration for Ronan Kerr and, in particular, his mother.
'"People were impressed with her tribute to Ronan that was broadcast on television on Sunday. She wrote the statement herself," Fr McAnerny said.
With Constable Kerr's remains returned to the family home on Monday evening, preparations could be finalised for his funeral, which is taking place today (Wednesday) in the Church of Immaculate Conception, Beragh, with Requiem Mass starting at noon.
A guard of honour will be formed by police and GAA representatives, schoolchildren and neighbours. It is expected that the school pupils will come from Constable Kerr's former schools, Drumduff Primary School and the Christian Brothers, as well as from Loreto Grammar School, which his sister, Dairine, attends.
Given the deep-rooted feeling of anger felt across the province at the young officer's death, a large crowd is expected to attend the funeral, including the First Minister, Taoiseach and a host of other high-profile public figures.
The service will be jointly-presided over by the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, and the Church of Ireland's Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev Alan Harper.
Beragh parish priest, Fr McAnerny, will be the chief celebrant at the funeral service, with Rev John Skinnader, a relative of the Kerr family, giving the sermon.
Meanwhile, the police have renewed their appeal to speak to residents of the Highfleld area of Omagh, as well as anyone who saw or spoke to Ronan in the days leading up to his death.
"We want to talk to anyone who saw or spoke to Ronan since last Friday, especially if he was in his car, a black Ford Mondeo, registration number PNZ 1114. We really do need to talk to you," a PSNI spokesperson said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/2010
Published Date: 07-Apr-11
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