Funeral of Pat Ward held in Sligo
PAT Ward, the 30-year-old Sligo man killed in Tyrone, had his funeral in St Anne’s Church in Sligo town today.
The mass was celebrated by Fr Pat Lombard, who said that the community of Cranmore was “shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Pat Ward”.
He described the late Pat Ward as a “loving and caring husband and father, who adored you, Ellie [his wife] and your children”.
Fr Lombard said that Ellie Ward and her family were “going through a nightmare which at this moment seems like it has no end”.
He also expressed his sympathies to Pat Ward’s parents, Tom and Bridget, and mentioned the passing of their son Tom who was murdered in 2007.
“This tragedy has struck again at your door,” he said.
Fr Lombard said that it was fitting for Pat Ward to have his funeral in St Anne’s as he had his communion there and married his wife Ellie there in 2009.
He thanked the PSNI in Northern Ireland, who are investigating the killing of Pat Ward and the Garda Siochanna.
“Violence is never the answer to any of our problems. In reality it only makes a bad situation worse.”
“There are never any winners and not only the families of the victim suffer but those responsible and their families too have to carry a great heartache of pain and regret,” Fr Lombard told the congregation.
A prayer was later read out by Pat Ward’s son Tom.
Floral tributes with the words ‘Uncle’, ‘Son’, ‘Brother’ and ‘Big Bang’ decorated the alter.
Pat Ward’s casket was a tricolour of the Irish flag and he will be buried in Ballymote alongside other members of the Ward family.
'Community shocked and saddened',