Updated at 1.20pm
UNIFORMED GARDAÍ MAINTAINED a presence around the Francis Street area of Dublin this afternoon, as the funeral of David Byrne took place.
The 32-year-old was shot dead while attending a boxing weigh-in at Dublin’s Regency Hotel ten days ago.
He was an associate of the Kinahan crime gang. Many of today’s papers carry photos of members of the Kinahan family flying into Dublin over the weekend.
Byrne was waked in his family home in Raleigh Square in Crumlin in recent days.
His remains were brought into the Church of St Nicolas of Myra for the 12.30pm service.
He was then laid to rest at Mount Jerome Cemetery in Harold’s Cross this afternoon.
The Garda presence was kept up for today’s service amid fear of reprisals for the murder of Eddie Hutch, who was shot dead days after Byrne was killed.
However, it is not believed that the funeral itself was the subject of any threats.
Agarda traffic management plan was in place for the day – but lengthy road closures are not expected.
This morning
Signs saying the church was closed for the day were displayed on the gates this morning.
Another, clearly aimed at the media, said filming, photography and audio recording was prohibited on church property.
Gardaí were posted at a number of locations along the street and at the rear of the church first thing today. Traffic cones were also placed along both sides of the street to reserve parking for those attending the funeral.
Around 20 reporters, photographers and camera operators were covering the funeral on Francis Street this afternoon – keeping their distance around 100 metres from the entrance to the church.
Locals and students from the nearby BIMM music college gathered closer to the gates as the first mourners arrived.
The Garda helicopter was also visible in the sky, circling the area, as it had been all morning.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say