Funeral murder victim shouted 'I'm shot', court hears

A cousin of a traveller shot in the back at a family funeral in Sligo 1999 has said the deceased man shouted "I’m shot, I’m shot" before collapsing into the drivers seat of a moving car.

Mr John Ward said he saw Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward "run along" the side of the car in which the witness was travelling in an attempt to escape from gunmen at the graveyard. The deceased, he said, was pointing to his back.

Five members of one family have denied the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward on May 10, 1999 at Carrownanty cemetery, Ballymote, Co Sligo before the funeral of his uncle.

Mr Michael "Hitler Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 58), Mr Martin "Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 53), Mr Michael McDonagh jnr (aged 29), Mr Patrick McDonagh (aged 33) and Mr Martin "Spider Bumbee" McDonagh jnr (aged 26) from Hertfordshire in London have all denied the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward.

The five also deny the attempted murder of Mr Patrick "Jaws" Ward snr, Mr Patrick "Jaws" Ward jnr and Mr Edward "Ned" Ward on the same date.

Mr "Deuce" Ward, (aged 38), a father of six originally from Galway but resident in Manchester had traveled to Ireland for the funeral of his uncle, in Ballymote, Co Sligo on May 10, 1999 when he was fatally shot.

On the day of the funeral in Ballymote of Mr "Skillet" Ward (aged 47) from Ballymun in Dublin, gardaí in Sligo had organised a policing plan for the funeral. There was a heavy Garda presence on the roads around the graveyard with gardaí checking all vehicles for weapons.

Mr Brian Ward said, the driver of the car opened his door and "pulled "Deuce" Ward in on top of him". The car he said "was barely moving".

An uncle of the deceased, Mr Tom "Joker" Ward, said when he arrived at the cemetery in his blacked out Volvo estate that there were 70-100 members of the McDonagh clan outside the entrance.

Deciding against stopping at the cemetery, "Joker" Ward continued to drive through the assembled crowd. "Joker" Ward told the jury he stopped 150 yards past the graveyard when he saw his brother, Mr "Jaws" Ward snr, his son and his wife in a green Hiace van. "Joker" Ward said he told his brother there was "a lot of people" at the graveyard.

Under-cross examination by Mr Brendan Nix SC, "Joker" Ward said he received his nickname when he dressed "one day in a new suit and black and white shoes". Sometimes he said, "I am funny".

The trial continues before Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill.