THE funeral of loyalist feud victim George 'Geordie' Gilmore will take place on Thursday in Carrickfergus amid a heavy police presence.
The 44-year-old loyalist was shot by two gunmen on March 13, as he sat in his car at Pinewood Avenue, Carrickfergus, and died from his injuries the following day.
His son, who was travelling in a car behind at the time, is believed to have witnessed the attack.
The veteran loyalist had been in the public gallery of Belfast Magistrates Court earlier that day when two men were remanded in custody charged with an attack on a bar doorman in the Co Antrim town.
Gilmore was shot three times as he returned to Carrickfergus amid increasing tensions in the town.
The feud between the South East Antrim UDA and a faction linked to Gilmore and his supporters had been simmering since last June when a gang of around 100 men marched on the loyalist's house in an attempt to intimidate him from his home.
He had been linked the drugs trade and a number of unsolved murders in Carrickfergus, including that of Mark Gourley who disappeared in 2009 and whose body has never been recovered.
Despite a number of attacks and more than 60 deaths issued to supporters of the loyalist, Gilmore had defiantly refused to leave the town.
Just 24 hours before he was shot he posted a message on Facebook saying: 'The days of the UDA putting people out of Carrick are over'.
He will be buried following a service in the Carrick Nazarene Church tomorrow morning.
Two men, aged 28 and 35, have been charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life or property.
A 23 year old man, arrested on Monday was released unconditionally.
