MOURNERS at the funeral of murdered Derry man Gerard Quinn have heard how his life was "cruelly cut short".
The 24-year-old father-of-one died from a single stab wound to the neck with a broken glass following an altercation at a house party.
The victim's family - including his twin brother Michael - and friends gathered on Sunday for Requiem Mass where they heard priest Fr Michael Canny say his life had been "cruelly cut short" by an "evil brutal act".
Wearing club colours, members of St Mary's GFC, Ardmore and Neirin Football Club, of which Mr Quinn was a member, walked alongside the funeral cortège as it made its way to St Mary's Ardmore.
Inside, Fr Canny said Mr Quinn's killing was an "act that has caused parents to lose a son, three young men their brother and a two year- old child her father".
He said the Quinn family had been "devastated and numbed" by his death.
"Your lives have been changed and will never be the same again," he told them.
Mr Quinn was slashed in the throat by a broken glass during a night out with his twin brother and died from his injuries in hospital.
A 16-year-old has since been charged with his murder.
But Fr Canny warned mourners not to seek revenge for Mr Quinn's death.
"No doubt on many occasions you have been angry and may have had thoughts of revenge," he said.
"Today, conscious that after an event like this our emotions can be unsettled, I say to you – enough people have suffered pain and loss.
"This is not easy, but an eye-for-an-eye mentality leaves everyone blind. Nobody wins – everyone is a loser. Don’t do anything that would bring further suffering to Gerard’s parents, brothers and our community."
The teenager charged with Mr Quinn's murder cannot be named because of his age.
He appeared in a youth court in Derry last week where he was also accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Quinn's twin brother, Michael.
The incident happened at Milldale Crescent in the city at around 10.30pm on May 21.
The teenager has been remanded into custody until June 7.
