The families of all victims of "senseless and reckless violence" were remembered yesterday at the funeral Mass of taxi-driver Martin Mulligan (53), who died in an unexplained attack on Monday.
Mourners were also told by chief celebrant Fr Brendan Callanan that "the courage and the resilience" of the Mulligan family were remarkable.
Mr Mulligan’s body was found a short distance from his taxi in the early hours of last Monday morning.
The father of two died after being viciously attacked; it is understood he sustained at least two serious stab wounds.
His body was found in the middle of the road near Kilcurry, west of Dundalk, Co Louth by passers-by at about 3am.
Unknown motive
The motive for his killing remains unclear and gardaí are investigating all possibilities, including robbery.
His remains were escorted by a fleet of taxis from his Dundalk home for funeral Mass in St Joseph’s Redemptorist Church in Dundalk yesterday morning.
Mr Mulligan had also worked as a coal delivery man and among the symbols brought up to the altar at the start of his requiem Mass was a bag containing pieces of coal.
Other symbols included a family photograph of him with his wife Gráinne and daughters Sharon and Shauna, a pair of slippers, a mobile phone and a Dundalk FC jersey.
‘Family man’
Fr Callanan said Mr Mulligan “was a family man”. He had been “a hard working man. One of the symbols brought up [was] a few lumps of coal [which represented] his main occupation for many years”.
He said he was a man who, “lovingly cared for his family, who had a sense of humour”.
He had a “love of his native place, and an interest in sport and so many other qualities that you, who knew him, knew were his trademarks”.
His “tragic and violent death” had left “a wife without her husband, two daughters without their father, a mother without her son and siblings without a brother”.
Fr Callanan asked for prayers for all who mourned his passing, “especially for the Mulligan family, that the God of goodness and mercy console them and strengthen them especially at this very difficult time”.
“The courage and the resilience of the family are remarkable. Similarly we pray for all families who have lost a loved one through senseless and reckless violence,” he said.
After Holy Communion Mr Mulligan’s niece Kerryann Cooney spoke about her uncle and how much he was loved and would be missed.
She said, “Martin was taken way too soon. Although he had a short life, it was so very full and filled with love and plenty of laughter.”
After the Mass, fellow taxi-drivers provided an escort from the church to his final resting place at St Patrick’s Cemetery, Dundalk.