Partner of gunshot victim fails to attend his funeral

A WOMAN who was questioned by gardaí following the fatal shooting of her partner didn’t attend his funeral yesterday.

Eve Walker, 37, was questioned by gardaí about the death of her partner, 42-year-old Charlie Wrench, but later released without charge.

A file has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Wrench’s nine-year-old daughter held a picture of him outside Tarrent’s Funeral Home in Millstreet, Co Cork, as his body was shouldered to a waiting hearse.

Next to her, clutching a single red rose, was her five-year-old sister.

Both were being comforted by their mother Natalie, who was estranged from Mr Wrench. She lives in Mallow, Co Cork.

A well-known musician who was originally from England, Mr Wrench lived in a converted cottage 6km from Millstreet for the past 18 years.

He was described by locals as a very popular figure and three of his friends, brothers James and Connie Lenihan and Noel Keating, played traditional music after his coffin was lowered into a plot at St Mary’s Cemetery.

Both of his daughters threw a single rose onto the top of the coffin.

Fr Sean Hanafin, from the nearby village of Dromtarriffe, officiated at the funeral, even though Mr Wrench wasn’t a Catholic.

About 100 mourners streamed into the funeral home to pay their last respects. Mr Wrench’s body was in a closed coffin, due to the nature of the wounds he received.

On top of it lay a bodhran, signifying the Englishman’s love of traditional Irish music, which he often played in the pubs around Millstreet.

“Charlie loved his children. He was highly respected in the local community and he will be missed,” Fr Hanafin said.

He added that he hoped people would rally around the two children to help the cope in the aftermath of the terrible tragedy.

The priest helped prepare Cora for her First Holy Communion last year and said that while her father wasn’t a Catholic he was very supportive.

“He went to all the meetings the parents had,” Fr Hanafin told mourners.

The body of Mr Wrench was found in a bedroom of his home at Dromiscane, Millstreet, at around 9.45pm last Monday.

He had sustained a shotgun blast to the upper body and head and is believed to have died instantly.

* This story was edited in may 2018.