Crowds turn out in Kenmare to pay respects to Gaine family
The 56-year-old sheep farmer went missing from his farm 6km north of the town on 20 March.
Eight weeks later, remains found on his land were subsequently confirmed by gardaí to be human tissue which belonged to him.
More human tissue was found during a search of his farmyard and adjoining fields in the days that followed.
The garda investigation into Mike Gaine's disappearance was initially treated as a missing person's case.
However, on 30 April gardaí announced that the investigation had been reclassified. His death is now being treated as murder.
On 19 May, gardaí arrested and questioned a man in his 50s on suspicion of Mr Gaine's murder. The man was released without charge, after he had spent 24 hours in garda custody.
Former US soldier Michael Kelley, who had been living on Mr Gaine's farm for almost three years before he moved to Tralee in April, identified himself in an interview with RTÉ News as the man who had been arrested.
Mr Kelley has denied any involvement in Mr Gaine's murder. He claims he is being framed by a subversive criminal organisation.
Mr Gaine farmed a 1,000-acre holding on the scenic Ring of Kerry, between Kenmare and Moll's Gap.
He was well known in the farming community as well as in car rallying circles.
He was a former participant in the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney and was a member of Killarney and District Motor Club.
Many of his friends from rallying spent the week restoring his Ford Escort Mark II rally car. They put an engine in it and have made it roadworthy.
The car is among a number of rally cars parked outside Finnegan's Funeral Home in Kenmare. Mike Gaine's Fiat tractor is also parked close by, symbolising his love of farming.
Mourners passed both as they gathered to sympathise this evening with Mr Gaine's wife, Janice, his sisters, Noreen and Catherine, and with other family members.
Mr Gaine's funeral mass will take place at Holy Cross Church in Kenmare tomorrow morning, after which an urn containing his ashes will be placed in his rally car and driven in a procession around the town.
His family say the resting place for his ashes will be kept private.
Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, has said it cannot comment on reports that Michael Kelley made a formal complaint to the ombudsman about his treatment by gardaí.
Fiosrú was formerly know as GSOC. It is the independent statutory office dealing with complaints about gardaí.
In a statement, Fiosrú said it could not comment on the reports.
"Fiosrú does not confirm or deny the existence of complaints made by or against individuals," a spokesman said.
"This is to protect the investigative process and the rights both of complainants, and those complained against. Fiosrú is not in a position to comment further."
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