The family of murdered fitness instructor John Gibson have called for an end to the "barbaric murders" in Dublin's gangland wars.
Holding their mother Marlene’s hands Mr Gibson’s children; son Rylan, daughter Taleigha, and stepson Jayden, walked behind the silver casket containing the body of their murdered father.
Mr Gibson, from Lucan, Co Dublin, died of multiple gunshot wounds earlier this month after being ambushed in a car park on Fortunestown Lane, Tallaght.
Gardaí believe he may have gone there to meet somebody, but that information on his whereabouts was passed on to his killers, facilitating his murder.
Outside the church, dressed in their yellow and black jerseys, Griffin Celtic football club provided a guard of honour as their teammate's casket was led to the church.
On top of the silver casket, a picture of the 28-year-old looked down on mourners, beside a spray of white flowers.
Standing in front of mourners inside the Church of the Divine Mercy in Lucan, Mr Gibson’s aunt Ciara made a warning to anyone contemplating avenging her nephew’s death.
"My beautiful sister has lost the only child she ever had, her beautiful baby boy. She can know in her heart that John Eamon Gibson never had anyone's blood on his hands.
“We condemn all violence in the strongest possible terms because until this week it has been alien to our family. The intolerable pain that has been bestowed upon us should never be inflicted on any family,” she told mourners.
His aunt asked that her nephew, the man they knew affectionately as 'John John, ' not be remembered or judged by his "last sorrowful chapter," but instead as the "loving gentle giant" they all knew him by.
“My sister wants no other mother to go through what she’s going through. No mother should ever have to bury a child.
“We are asking as John John’s family to end these barbaric murders, so no other mother has to wake up to the nightmare, every morning and wonder how she will get through it all.
“Monday the 18th of September is a day that will never leave us as a family. For my parents to witness the screams from their daughter, the absolute devastation that fatal night brought on us.”
Mourners heard how Mr Gibson had lived with his grandparents for the earlier part of his life. His grandfather Eamon was the “first father figure,” the young man knew.
"John John's first father figure was his grandad who loved him dearly and he had lots of friends from where Tara grew up. They all knew him as the "gentle giant" as well as his family knew him as. It was always just Tara and John John. She adored him and he idolised his mom," said his aunt.
‘We feel as if we cannot go on’
Fr John Lazier told the congregation that tales of people being gunned down in the street was once something people watched in the cinema, but now in Dublin it had sadly become a reality.
“The first thing that has to be said this morning, above all other things is that John was too young and had too much potential for his life to end in the tragic way that it did,” said Fr Lazier
“If the lives of young people continue to end in the same way as John’s life ended, who will be the fathers of our children tomorrow. Who will assist the grieving mother’s left behind like John’s partner,” asked Fr Lazier.
"Here in our country Ireland, the big issue now is all about homelessness. The lives of the homeless in our country.
“I’m afraid that it won’t be that much longer before we start talking about the lives of the single mothers in our society. The lives of young children who will never know how beautiful fatherly love is.
“Now we must do something, we are so sad and so frightened. We feel as if we cannot go on,” added Fr Lazier.
The priest said that retaliation to such violence as experienced by Mr Gibson was not the answer.
“Let us say no to retaliation and violence. Let’s us condemn the use of violence. As we come to terms with this terrible tragedy anger and revenge must not be allowed,” he added.
As the clouds broke outside the church in Lucan, floral tributes reading ‘Dad’ and ‘Son’ were placed beside the 28-year-old’s silver casket.
Three black limousines accompanied the hearse as it made it’s way to Newlands cemetery.
Chief mourners at the funeral included Mr Gibson’s mother Tara, Stepfather John and stepsister Caitlin; his partner Marlene and his children; son Rylan and daughter Taleigha, Stepson Jayden, grandparents Ann and Eamonn.