Up to 800 people took part in a candlelit vigil for Cameron Reilly on Monday in a church in Dunleer, close to where his body was found in a field on Saturday morning.
The 18-year-old from Co Louth had visible injuries to his neck, and gardaí are investigating the possibility he was strangled while in the company of a number of youths.
As the Garda investigation continues, the vigil became a focal point for those who, parish priest Fr Michael Murtagh said, “want to show support to his family and express their dismay and horror.”
He said: “It is an opportunity we are trying to give to people to make known to the community, to the world and to his family in particular, how they feel.”
St Brigid’s Church was illuminated by hundreds of candles held by young and old, in groups, on their own or supported by their friends as they remembered Mr Reilly.
“He would have been a good friend of my sister and we know him from around the village, he was a lovely chap, very nice, funny and always had a smile on his face. Every time you walked by him he would say hello, he was a very shy and quiet chap. It is very sad,” said Aoife Bell.
‘Kind and caring’
Mr Reilly had just completed his first year in Hospitality studies at Dundalk Institute of Technology. "He was kind and caring, a very gentle and quiet guy in class," said Lorraine Dunne, who was one of his lecturers. "He seemed to support his classmates and brought a smile every day."
At the start of the vigil, Fr Murtagh thanked everybody for coming out to remember Mr Reilly and to show solidarity with his family, “and to take a stand for all that is decent and good in this world.”
He said: “We have 18 candles here in the centre representing the 18 years of Cameron’s life. We have the Easter candle here in the sanctuary reminding us always of Christ the light of the world in a time of shadow and darkness, we remember that our faith is as a light, scattering the darkness with hope.
“In the darkness we need light, we need guidance, the light of a simple candle can help us to find our way, help us to avoid obstacles, can reassure us and so it is with your faith, our faith helps to scatter the clouds and the darkness and shows us the path we should take.”
Photographs
Inside the church, a board was covered with photographs of Mr Reilly and some of his many friends. A number of notes containing messages had also been placed on it.
One simply said: “A precious life taken too soon.”
Gardaí are still looking for Mr Reilly’s mobile phone. They believe it was either stolen or removed before his body was found by a man out walking his dog at about 8am on Saturday.
Mr Reilly was out socialising with friends in the town on Friday night and was seen speaking to various groups of people. He was last seen near Ardee Road at about 12.30am on Saturday morning.
Chief Supt Christy Mangan said gardaí were appealing for information from people who were in the area at the time, or who are aware of what happened, to contact them.