Downpatrick: Funeral held for murder victim Stephen Brannigan
The priest, Fr John Murray, is in hospital after being attacked while preparing to celebrate his last Mass before retirement at St Patrick's Church in Downpatrick.Hugh Malone, from Belfast but with no fixed abode, appeared before Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
Peace 'cruelly shattered'
Delivering the homily at Saturday's funeral, Fr Timothy Bartlett said that "the peace of an ordinary summer Sunday morning" had been "cruelly shattered by acts of vicious and senseless violence"."Totally unprovoked, this violence was directed against two people who had simply reached out to help someone they believed to be in distress," he told the congregation.Fr Bartlett said Mr Brannigan liked "to reach out to others, to drop in to a neighbour's house and make them a cup of tea, or paint their house for nothing, or look after the grave of a neighbour's loved one, as he did his late wife Dorenda's almost every day". "This was so much a part of the kind, thoughtful person Stephen Brannigan was," he added.
Addressing the events of last weekend, the priest questioned whether things that once "made communities strong" are now disappearing. "Am I the only who feels that there is growing culture of aggression and violence creeping like a cancer through the bones of our families, our towns and our society, in which nothing and no-one is sacred any more? "Am I the only one who yearns for a little more gentleness, a little more civility, a little more courtesy, a little more neighbourliness and community, and a little more compassion and care?"
Always willing to help
In a statement on Monday, the family of Mr Brannigan said he was known among his neighbours and friends as someone who was always willing to help out and "ready to do whatever needed to be done for the good of others".The day before he died, he was tending to friends' graves while visiting the grave of his late wife, Dorenda, "as he did, almost every day".Mr Brannigan is remembered as a "dearly beloved" husband, a "much loved" father of two daughters and a "loving grandfather" of six in his death notice.The family also thanked "those who have surrounded us with such love and care".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
I get paid £45 an hour with little-known side hustle – you don't need qualifications but you have to be upset on demand
YOU can now make up to £45 an hour doing a highly unusual job, and you don't even need a qualification. But before you go signing up, be warned: You will have to cry on demand. Nobody likes attending funerals but now you can sign up to become a professional mourner. This unsual side hustle doesn't involve filling out the crowd or standing mysteriously by the graveside, it's a lot more in depth. Professional mourners pretend to be friends and family of the deceased, assuming fake identities and convincing attending they're one of the bereaved. The practice has been commonplace in countries like China and is now starting to take off in Western countries. Professional practice Professional mourners take a series of steps to prepare for the unique role. Before attending the funeral, they carry out a full character study of the deceased. Often the family are able to help with this, helping the mourner establish a back story, which includes reasons why other funeral attendees have never met them before. And knowing the background of the deceased isn't enough for this job. Crying on cue To be a successful mourner, you will have to trigger sadness on demand. It can be difficult to work up tears over someone you've never met so often the mourners turn to Hollywood tear-jerkers or personal tragedies for their big moment. I earn cash by selling 'actual rubbish' on eBay - I flogged a freebie I found on the floor by a bin for £10, it's crazy However, mourners need to be careful to seem to genuine to avoid any suspicions. And while people rarely suspect professional actors have infiltrated the congregation, some are often wearing of opportunistic strangers running a scam for cash. The practice has been traced back to ancinet China, with "wailing women" also playing a role in Egypt. However, it has now spread worldwide, meaning mourners are required to know the basics about grieving processes across all religions. And according to Owen Vaughan, who works as a professional mourner in London, the families can also be very demanding about the performance. Demanding work He recalled a specific funeral he was hired to attend during an interview with Cracked. "I was warned not to give any condolences to his siblings (who didn't know he was hiring us), not to eat at the reception, to stay only in a certain area, and to basically sit and look sad for two hours," he said. But if the high demands and emotionally drainage don't sound to off-putting, this constantly evolving business could be a handy way to make money for any budding actors. And according to Fellowship Recruitment, you can make up to £45 an hour, depending on whose funeral it is and the role that they are playing. Professional mourners, officially known as moirologists, have been in practice for well over 2,000 years, with the number of UK bookings going up 50% in the past year. 2
BreakingNews.ie
34 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Two taken to hospital following arson attack in Armagh city
Two people have been taken to hospital following an arson attack in Armagh city, police said. The incident happened at an establishment in the Irish Street area of the city at around 8.55pm on Monday. Advertisement A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Police are at the scene of an arson attack in the Irish Street area of Armagh which is closed at this time. A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Details here: — Police Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (@PSNIABC) August 18, 2025 A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said officers were at the scene on Monday night. 'Officers received a report of a fire shortly around 8.55pm,' they said. 'They were in attendance alongside colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire Rescue Service who extinguished the blaze. Advertisement 'Two people have been taken to hospital for treatment to their injuries. 'A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in custody at this time.' Newry and Armagh MP Daire Hughes condemned a 'frightening incident'. 'This was a frightening incident for those in the vicinity, and I want to commend the swift response from emergency services,' the Sinn Fein representative said in a post on X. Advertisement 'Police will remain in the area over the coming hours as their investigation continues. 'My thoughts are with anyone who may have been injured or impacted by this incident.'
The Guardian
34 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Florida man who fatally stabbed friend over Trump convicted of second-degree murder
A Florida man who fatally stabbed a friend during an argument in 2022 over Donald Trump's businesses having gone bankrupt, is facing possibly spending the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of murder. Donald Jamesbrown Henry, 38, awaits a sentencing hearing tentatively scheduled for October after jurors found him guilty Friday of second-degree murder in the killing of Shawn Popp, whose death came to be regarded by some as an example of the havoc that politics can wreak on interpersonal relationships in the US. Henry's conviction, under Florida law, requires him to serve at least 16 years and nine months in prison without the possibility of parole. The state's maximum punishment for second-degree murder is life imprisonment. According to authorities, Popp was smoking marijuana at a friend's house in the community of Arcadia on 22 October 2022 when he and Henry – another visitor – became locked into an argument about Trump, who at the time was a fellow Florida resident in between his two presidencies. Popp made a statement about 'Trump going bankrupt', investigators wrote in a sworn statement that was later filed in court and reported on by Reuters. Henry, meanwhile, 'strongly believed that Donald Trump did not go bankrupt but instead … chose the wrong individuals to do business with, which caused it to fail', investigators wrote. A number of businesses that Trump ran before winning the 2016 and 2020 presidential races sought federal bankruptcy protection, and it was not clear whether the argument between Popp and Henry focused on any particular one of those cases. Regardless, the two ended up fighting, with Henry convinced Popp 'was talking to him like he was stupid', authorities alleged. Investigators said Henry then plunged the blade of a kitchen knife that he was sharpening into Popp's chest. Popp subsequently walked outside, crossed the street and collapsed dead after being overheard remarking, 'You stabbed me, you son of a bitch,' the news website Law & Crime reported. Once the local sheriff's office was called out to investigate, Henry claimed he had acted in self-defense and therefore had justifiably killed Popp. Henry maintained that fists were 'deadly weapons' and he had first been struck in the face by Popp, prompting him to use the knife and 'stop the threat', deputies wrote in their sworn statement. Deputies also accused Henry of explaining that his family members were high-ranking military members – and of saying that prior 'training' he had received in survival and weapons 'kicked in' during the fracas. Though Henry had 'superficial marks' on his forehead, investigators said they determined he did not have any injuries demonstrating that he needed to defend himself with deadly force. They jailed Henry – and on Friday, after brief jury deliberations at the conclusion of his trial, jurors returned a verdict finding him guilty of murder as well as trying to intimidate a witness out of cooperating with authorities, a statement from the DeSoto county sheriff's office said. 'This verdict is a testament to the dedication and hard work of [law enforcement] who never stopped pursuing justice,' the sheriff's office statement added.
