Northern Ireland

Journalists invited to form 'guard of honour' at Lyra McKee's funeral

Lyra McKee was shot in the head as she watched rioting in Derry's Creggan estate on Thursday night
Lyra McKee was shot in the head as she watched rioting in Derry's Creggan estate on Thursday night Lyra McKee was shot in the head as she watched rioting in Derry's Creggan estate on Thursday night

LYRA McKee's family has invited members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) to provide a guard of honour for her funeral at St Anne's Cathedral tomorrow.

A `celebration of her life' will take place at 1pm, led jointly by Dean of St Anne's Rev Stephen Forde and Fr Martin Magill, parish priest of St John's Church on Falls Road.

The writer and campaigner from north Belfast was shot in the head as she watched rioting in Derry's Creggan estate on Thursday night. She had been living in Derry with her partner Sara Canning.

The NUJ's Belfast and District branch told journalists: "The family have invited members of the NUJ to provide a guard of honour."

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Those taking part have been asked to wear their union badges.

Meanwhile, journalists who can't attend have been asked "wherever you are, with others or alone - remember #WeStandWithLyra (with) a minutes' silence too".

In a post on her Facebook page on Sunday, Ms Canning said Ms McKee "would love it" if people "would like to wear Hufflepuff, Harry Potter, or Marvel related items" at the service.

The family of Lyra McKee has also said they are happy for mourners to wear T-shirts and scarves reflecting their sister's interest in Harry Potter and Marvel although not full costumes.

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''We want the funeral to be a dignified celebration of Lyra's life,'' her sister Mary Crossan said.

Burial afterwards will be in Carnmoney Cemetery.