PRIEST TELLS MOURNERS: DON’T AVENGE KIERAN’S MURDER

Pizza delivery driver Kieran McManus who was shot dead on Saturday night

Pizza delivery driver Kieran McManus who was shot dead on Saturday night

A CATHOLIC priest has pleaded with mourners on Thursday not to seek revenge for the cold-blooded murder of pizza delivery driver Kieran McManus.

Father Brendan Smyth was speaking at 1pm Requiem Mass in Holy Trinity Church, Turf Lodge, west Belfast for the 26-year-old who was gunned down on Saturday night.

The victim was orignally from the Turf Lodge area but had moved to Crumlin, Co Antrim.

The priest said it was understandable for emotions to run high among friends seeking revenge and retribution.

Added Fr Smyth: “All I can say and plead for Kieran’s death to be the end, the line drawn under these sad days, for nothing will bring Kieran back, nor should, by what we may say, or what we may do may only add to the heaviness of heart, or add to the burden that has been forced upon the shoulders of Kieran’s family.”

His mother Sally, four brothers and two sisters were among the mourners. Mr McManus had a five-year-old son called Kieran.

The child’s mother told him that his daddy had been killed in a car crash.

Father Smith added: “Revenge or retribution is a nasty word and a road that will lead to added heartache.

“For those who may contemplate such a road, I beg you don’t. For it is a road that you will force Sally, young Kieran, and Joseph, Patrick, Michael, Christopher, Bernadette and Michaela, and all his family, I think that they have suffered enough.”

Following Requiem Mass, Mr McManus was buried in Milltown Cemetery.

A 34-year-old man is still being question by detectives at the serious crime suite in Antrim about Mr McManus’s murder.

He was detained in the Belfast area on Wednesday on suspicion of being involved in the murder.

Mr McManus was shot in the back with a shotgun as he lent into his car to place in a number of pizzas.

The lone and masked killer then sped off in a dark Astra car which was later found by police.

Detectives believe the murder could be linked to a feud in the area between the victim and elements within dissident republican terror gangs.

 

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