Former Athlone priest speaks of 'deathly eerie silence' in Castlerea

Photo: Fr John McManus.

A priest who was based in Athlone for many years has spoken poignantly of the “deathly eerie silence” after he administered the last rites to slain Detective Garda Colm Horkan on the street in Castlerea.

Fr John McManus, who left Athlone in 2013, has been Parish Priest in Castlerea for the last three years. He described the scene on Wedneday night which has left Castlerea and its environs stunned, and the entire country shocked and saddened by the loss of an officer serving the public in such a violent manner.

“I was called as a priest to administer the last rites. At the time I arrived (after midnight) paramedics were still working on him but he sadly died. Then I was invited to step forward to say the prayers and anoint him. His colleagues then gathered around him in final prayers. Their presence was emotional. There was a moment of silence,” he recalled.

“It was a very sad scene, then there was I would describe as a deathly eerie silence after the prayers and really that continued all around the town yesterday with much of it closed as Gardai did their work,” said Fr Mc Manus.

Poignantly, 40 years ago two officers, Detective Garda John Morley and Garda Henry Byrne, were killed following a bank robbery in nearby Ballaghaderreen after they intercepted the raiders near Loughlynn in west Roscommon on July 7, 1980.

This violent death in Castlerea has brought all of those memories flooding back for officers and the general public, the local cleric said, adding that this was really evident at one of two prayer services held in the town yesterday where the widows of both of the officers attended which must have hugely “poignant for them.”

“The gathering was important. People could gather and talk. Prayer brought it all together,” Fr McManus, who lived in Monksland for several years, told the Westmeath Independent.

Yesterday afternoon the local parish priest was involved in a prayer service in The Hub, Castlerea, where he joined with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris along with serving officers, retirees, and those associated with the station who came together to remember Colm and his family.

Then later in the evening, the parish organised a candlelight vigil at the grotto on the Fairgreen, a short distance away the scene to allow for social distancing.

“As a priest you need something like that (candlelight vigil) to bring people together even in stunned silence to reflect. It was quite emotional last evening with the bells of the church ringing at the end,” he observed.

Supt Goretti Sheridan spoke of the force's devastation at the loss of their friend and colleague at the service, thanking the community for standing in solidarity with them.

“We were focusing on praying for Colm and his family and colleagues,” Fr John said of the emotional ceremony, adding that people were invited to light a candle in Colm's memory and bring it home with them.

Castlerea is a small close-knit town and what happened has left people “deeply saddened and shocked,” Fr John explained, saying that “it hits you suddenly the fragility of life.

“For a town like this you just don't expect a shooting on the streets, something as violent as this is shocking,” he continued, adding it was devastating scene to attend and see so many people so visibly upset.

While he didn't know the slain officer well, Fr McManus said he was extremely “well thought of” among his colleagues and the population at large and was extremely “diligent” at his job. Sadly, he had only been a detective a few weeks, Fr McManus said. He extended his sincere sympathy to the late officer's family, friends and colleagues on such a devastating loss.

The parish priest thanked the community for the empathy and support they have shown the guards since the tragedy unfolded, something which has been heartening given the job they do protecting people from harm, and the huge role they have played recently during the Covid-19 crisis checking in on people and helping them out.