Relatives were ambushed by gunmen at funeral, trial hears

Relatives of a man being buried at a funeral in Ballymote, Co Sligo drove into an ambush, one of them told a murder trial jury…

Relatives of a man being buried at a funeral in Ballymote, Co Sligo drove into an ambush, one of them told a murder trial jury today.

"Jaws" Patrick Ward jnr, an alleged victim of attempted murder, told the trial of his third cousin, Mr Martin McDonagh (30), that gunmen emerged from a crowd of about 150 men outside the graveyard and fired at himself and his father. The shots were fired after an older man in the crowd urged the gunmen to "shoot" and "kill them", he alleged.

In the Central Criminal Court trial, Mr McDonagh (30) denies the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward (38) at the funeral of Patrick "Skillet" Ward in Ballymote, Co Sligo, on May 10th, 1999.

Mr McDonagh, formerly of Hertfordshire, has also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Patrick "Jaws" Ward snr and "Jaws" Paddy Ward jnr on the same date.

Although he acknowledged that there was ill feeling between sections of the Ward and McDonagh Travelling families, he said he had not expected any trouble at the funeral of Patrick "Skillet" Ward.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Carney.

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