Sinn Féin leaders to attend Ferguson funeral

The funeral of Sinn Féin Assembly member Michael Ferguson will take place today in west Belfast.

Mr Ferguson, who represented west Belfast in the Assembly since 2003, died suddenly on Sunday night.

His death came as his first public interview on his battle with testicular cancer was published in a Belfast newspaper.

Mr Ferguson, a lifelong republican and the party’s education spokesman, will be buried in Milltown Cemetery after Requiem Mass at St Teresa’s Church on the Glen Road.

Senior Sinn Féin leadership members will attend.

The 53-year-old father of four had planned a charity fundraising event for Macmillan Cancer Relief tomorrow at the offices of the West Belfast Partnership.

The event will go ahead despite his death.