Northern Ireland

Masked men fire shots over coffin of Co Donegal republican

Shots fired over the coffin of Barlow McGavigan who died in January.
Shots fired over the coffin of Barlow McGavigan who died in January. Shots fired over the coffin of Barlow McGavigan who died in January.

FOOTAGE has emerged online showing armed and masked men firing a volley of shots over the coffin of a Co Donegal man.

The group known as the 'New IRA' is thought to have been responsible for the gunfire following the death of Barlow McGavigan on January 16.

Mr McGavigan, who was well known in the Lifford area, came from a family of 14 children and was a father of seven.

His funeral took place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane with burial afterwards in Strabane Cemetery.

The gunfire over Mr McGavigan's open coffin took place the night before in front of a crowd of people who clapped at the end of the volley of shots.

Dissident republican group Saoradh posted a tribute to the Co Donegal man on its Facebook page, saying he was "well known for his republican beliefs and actions and was well respected throughout the Lifford, Strabane and Clady areas".

"Barlow got involved with the republican resistance campaign from an early age and kept his core beliefs to the end."