President leads mourners at garda's funeral

President Mary McAleese led the mourners at the funeral today of garda detective sergeant John Eiffe, who was accidentally shot dead last week by a colleague during an attempted bank raid in Abbeyleix, Co Laois.

Also at the ceremony in Rathoath, Co Meath, the home village of the dead officer, were Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne, the Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and senior politicians.

Four men with Dublin addresses appeared in court following last week’s incident.

Detective sergeant Eiffe, 40, was married with four young children.