THE son of a murdered INLA gunman led a life "fashioned by trauma and pain" at a young age, a priest has told mourners.
Hundreds gathered in Bellaghy on Wednesday for the funeral of prominent Co Derry republican Declan McGlinchey (39), who died suddenly of a suspected heart attack.
The father-of-seven, a son of former INLA chief of staff Dominic McGlinchey, died at his home in the Co Derry village after suffering chest pains late on Sunday night.
Crowds of mourners lined the main street as the funeral procession made its way towards St Mary's Church for 11am Requiem Mass.
A black beret and gloves lay on top of his coffin, which was draped in a starry plough flag and tricolour.
Men wearing berets also marched behind the hearse to a single drum beat.
Flowers spelling 'INLA' were among the floral tributes.
Members of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club wore their blue-and-white jerseys as they led the cortege alongside a lone piper.
Declan McGlinchey was arrested in connection with the 2009 murder of two British soldiers at Massereene Barracks in Antrim, but was released without charge.
In recent years the Irish Republican Socialist Party member had become involved in campaigning on behalf of dissident republican prisoners, and his family said he had wanted to contribute to the peace process.
Declan and his younger brother Dominic experienced tragedy at a young age.
His father Dominic McGlinchey snr, who once claimed to have killed 30 people, was gunned down by two men while in a telephone box in Drogheda in 1994.
His wife Mary was then shot dead in 1987 as she bathed her two boys in their Dundalk home.
No-one has ever been charged in connection with their deaths.
Crowds packed inside the church yesterday and many remained outside as Requiem Mass got underway.
Fr Andrew Dolan told mourners the community was in "shock and disbelief" over the sudden death.
The parish priest said from an early age Declan had endured family tragedy.
"How could a life not be in some way fashioned by trauma and pain that came his way at such a young age," he said.
"To carry all that pain, to live under the pressure of the public gaze and to be the subject of suspicion throughout your life."
He questioned whether such pressure "took its toll" and led to his "untimely" death.
Tributes including family photos were placed by the altar.
Fr Dolan said Declan's public persona appeared "hard and uncompromising" but it did not reflect his "very soft and kind hearted" nature.
He said he is survived by his wife Brenda and seven children aged between 19 and one-and-a-half.
Following the Mass Brenda held a red rose as she pushed a pram behind the coffin, before helping to carry the casket.
Declan was buried in the cemetery beside the church. The starry plough and tricolour were flown from flagpoles at his graveside.
Among those who attended the funeral were Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Ó hOisín, former MP Bernadette Devlin and independent Derry councillor Gary Donnelly.
Prominent republican Eddie Copeland carried the coffin.
Ahead of the funeral it was reported that Declan's brother Dominic would not attend after police did not rule out arresting him.
Dominic jnr, who lives in the south, was previously named in court as a suspected getaway driver in the 2009 Massereene murders, an allegation he had strongly denied.
