Gangland killings: Plea to end the bloodshed

A priest at the funeral of David Byrne has pleaded for an end to the bloodshed that has left communities gripped with fear amid the latest escalation in gangland violence.

Fr Niall Coghlan also slammed as cowards the killers of Mr Byrne, who was shot dead 11 days ago, and those who carried out the reprisal killing of Eddie Hutch three days later, saying their actions came from the “depth of evil”.

He challenged mourners to speak up for peace and warned that the tit-for-tat revenge attacks amounted to “another eye for another eye until everyone’s blind”.