Latest news with #KillarneyandDistrictMotorClub
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
Hundreds of mourners pay respects to murdered farmer Mike Gaine ahead of funeral
Mr Gaine was cremated earlier this week, with his ashes reposing between 2pm and 7pm at Finnegan's funeral parlour Mourners at the removal of Mike Gaine in Kenmare, County Kerry on Friday. Photo: Don MacMonagle Hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their respects to murdered farmer Mike Gaine as his ashes lay reposing in Kenmare town today. Mr Gaine was cremated earlier this week, with his ashes reposing between 2pm and 7pm at Finnegan's funeral parlour. Queues of mourners, waiting to pay their respects to the 56-year-old farmer, began forming at 1.30pm. The late Mike Gaine The line eventually stretched back to the town centre, with mourners standing in the rain as they waited. Mr Gaine's wife Janice was driven to the door of the funeral home shortly before 2pm. She was led in through the door under a sea of umbrellas. Also there to greet mourners were Mr Gaine's two sisters, Catherine and Noreen and other extended family members. Tributes to Mr Gaine included a photo display depicting him in him in his rally car racing days, as well as photos of him with farm machinery and socialising with friends. Mourners at the removal of Mike Gaine in Kenmare, County Kerry on Friday. Photo: Don MacMonagle News in 90 Seconds - 6th June 2025 Outside the funeral home, in a nod to Mr Gaine's love of farming, was a red Fiat Tractor. Five rallycars, including Ford Escort MK2 the farmer used to compete in, were lined up in a nearby car park. A group of Mr Gaine's close friends at Killarney and District Motor Club (KDMC) spent last week restoring his old car ahead of his funeral tomorrow. The car will lead a procession around the town after the service as Mr Gaine's ashes are taken to their final resting place. Among the more well-known faces at the funeral home today were Sports pundit Pat Spillane and Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae. Mr Gaine's funeral mass will take place tomorrow at 10.30am in Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, according to a notice on His funeral mass will be livestreamed. Afterwards, Mr Gaine's rally car, carrying his ashes, will do a lap of honour around Kenmare town. Rally car divers from all over Ireland are expected to travel to the Kerry town to join in the procession. The notice said Mr Gaine, who went missing from his farm on March 20, will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken family members and friends in the farming and rallying communities. His final resting place is to be kept private. Mr Gaine's family has asked for family flowers only, with donations in lieu of flowers to Kerry Mountain Rescue and SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association). Both these organisations played a significant role in the search for Mr Gaine after he was first reported missing on March 21. The family thanked the public for their "support and understanding at this extremely difficult time". An extensive search for the Kerry farmer took place over eight weeks. The case was officially upgraded to from a missing persons probe to homicide just over a month ago. Mr Gaine's partial remains were found almost two weeks ago when his nephew and close friend were spreading slurry. DNA confirmed the partial remains as those of Mr Gaine. The farm was immediately closed off and declared a crime scene. Specialised garda units and the Defence Forces have spent the past two weeks on the farm just outside Kenmare searching for evidence in the ongoing murder investigation. A man was arrested and later released without charge in the case.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Crowds turn out in Kenmare to pay respects to Gaine family
Hundreds of people have been gathering in Kenmare, Co Kerry, to pay their respects to the family of Mike Gaine. 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."
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Mike Gaine: Pat Spillane and Danny Healy-Ray among hundreds of mourners ahead of farmer's funeral
Mr Gaine was cremated earlier this week, with his ashes reposing between 2pm and 7pm at Finnegan's funeral parlour. Queues of mourners, waiting to pay their respects to the 56-year-old farmer, began forming at 1.30pm. The line eventually stretched back to the town centre, with mourners standing in the rain as they waited. Mr Gaine's wife Janice was driven to the door of the funeral home shortly before 2pm. She was led in through the door under a sea of umbrellas. Also there to greet mourners were Mr Gaine's two sisters, Catherine and Noreen and other extended family members. Tributes to Mr Gaine included a photo display depicting him in him in his rally car racing days, as well as photos of him with farm machinery and socialising with friends. Outside the funeral home, in a nod to Mr Gaine's love of farming, was a red Fiat Tractor. Five rallycars, including Ford Escort MK2 the farmer used to compete in, were lined up in a nearby car park. A group of Mr Gaine's close friends at Killarney and District Motor Club (KDMC) spent last week restoring his old car ahead of his funeral tomorrow. The car will lead a procession around the town after the service as Mr Gaine's ashes are taken to their final resting place. Among the more well-known faces at the funeral home today were Sports pundit Pat Spillane and Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae. Mr Gaine's funeral mass will take place tomorrow at 10.30am in Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, according to a notice on His funeral mass will be livestreamed. Afterwards, Mr Gaine's rally car, carrying his ashes, will do a lap of honour around Kenmare town. Rally car divers from all over Ireland are expected to travel to the Kerry town to join in the procession. The notice said Mr Gaine, who went missing from his farm on March 20, will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken family members and friends in the farming and rallying communities. His final resting place is to be kept private. Mr Gaine's family has asked for family flowers only, with donations in lieu of flowers to Kerry Mountain Rescue and SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association). Both these organisations played a significant role in the search for Mr Gaine after he was first reported missing on March 21. The family thanked the public for their "support and understanding at this extremely difficult time". An extensive search for the Kerry farmer took place over eight weeks. The case was officially upgraded to from a missing persons probe to homicide just over a month ago. Mr Gaine's partial remains were found almost two weeks ago when his nephew and close friend were spreading slurry. DNA confirmed the partial remains as those of Mr Gaine. The farm was immediately closed off and declared a crime scene. Specialised garda units and the Defence Forces have spent the past two weeks on the farm just outside Kenmare searching for evidence in the ongoing murder investigation. A man was arrested and later released without charge in the case.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Hundreds of mourners pay respects to murdered farmer Mike Gaine ahead of funeral
Mr Gaine was cremated earlier this week, with his ashes reposing between 2pm and 7pm at Finnegan's funeral parlour. Queues of mourners, waiting to pay their respects to the 56-year-old farmer, began forming at 1.30pm. The line eventually stretched back to the town centre, with mourners standing in the rain as they waited. Mr Gaine's wife Janice was driven to the door of the funeral home shortly before 2pm. She was led in through the door under a sea of umbrellas. Also there to greet mourners were Mr Gaine's two sisters, Catherine and Noreen and other extended family members. Tributes to Mr Gaine included a photo display depicting him in him in his rally car racing days, as well as photos of him with farm machinery and socialising with friends. Outside the funeral home, in a nod to Mr Gaine's love of farming, was a red Fiat Tractor. Five rallycars, including Ford Escort MK2 the farmer used to compete in, were lined up in a nearby car park. A group of Mr Gaine's close friends at Killarney and District Motor Club (KDMC) spent last week restoring his old car ahead of his funeral tomorrow. The car will lead a procession around the town after the service as Mr Gaine's ashes are taken to their final resting place. Among the more well-known faces at the funeral home today were Sports pundit Pat Spillane and Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae. Mr Gaine's funeral mass will take place tomorrow at 10.30am in Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, according to a notice on His funeral mass will be livestreamed. Afterwards, Mr Gaine's rally car, carrying his ashes, will do a lap of honour around Kenmare town. Rally car divers from all over Ireland are expected to travel to the Kerry town to join in the procession. The notice said Mr Gaine, who went missing from his farm on March 20, will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken family members and friends in the farming and rallying communities. His final resting place is to be kept private. Mr Gaine's family has asked for family flowers only, with donations in lieu of flowers to Kerry Mountain Rescue and SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association). Both these organisations played a significant role in the search for Mr Gaine after he was first reported missing on March 21. The family thanked the public for their "support and understanding at this extremely difficult time". An extensive search for the Kerry farmer took place over eight weeks. The case was officially upgraded to from a missing persons probe to homicide just over a month ago. Mr Gaine's partial remains were found almost two weeks ago when his nephew and close friend were spreading slurry. DNA confirmed the partial remains as those of Mr Gaine. The farm was immediately closed off and declared a crime scene. Specialised garda units and the Defence Forces have spent the past two weeks on the farm just outside Kenmare searching for evidence in the ongoing murder investigation. A man was arrested and later released without charge in the case.
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Kerry rally crowd holds round of applause for missing farmer 'and rally man' Michael Gaine
A one-minute round of applause was held for missing farmer Michael Gaine at this year's closing ceremony for the Rally of The Lakes. The applause was also held for the many people who have tried to find him since he went missing from his Kenmare home on March 20. The disappearance of the 56-year-old was recently upgraded from a missing person investigation to a criminal investigation. Rally-goers heard his family were 'very thankful that the rally community for having come in behind the family and to help solve this very sad and horrific crime'. At the start of this year's event, Tommy Randles, chairperson of the Killarney and District Motor Club — whose rallies Mr Gaine attended — issued 6,500 stickers with the last known photograph of the farmer, in his distinctive orange hat. As well as stickers put on the programmes and other literature, organisers also had the stickers put on the windscreens of more than 160 cars taking part in the Rally of the Lakes. A video on Facebook for the rally event shows a street in Killarney packed with race fans being told of how many had tried to find him 'because he's one of our own, he's a rally man, and he gave so much to the sport behind the scenes'. The last known photo of Michael Gaine in Centra, Kenmare, Co Kerry, at 9.48am on Thursday March 20. People were then asked to give one minute round of applause 'for the people looking for Mick Gaine and to thank Mick Gaine for all he has done for Irish rallying'. The crowd were also told: 'We have spoken to lots and lots of people from the Kenmare region over the last weeks and no one has a bad word to say about this man." In an address to the crowd, a friend paid tribute to him by adding: 'He had fierce interest in people — rallying community and farming community. 'Priest or peasant, he would treat them all the same.' He also added Mr Gaine was 'a very good rally driver back in the day'. Since the investigation was upgraded, gardaí have contacted a number of people who gave them dashcam footage in the early days of their investigation. Officially, the last time Michael Gaine is known to have been seen alive was on the morning of March 20, when he bought phone credit, a lunch roll and a bottled drink at the Centra in Kenmare. He was wearing a distinctive orange woolly hat, a black fleece, blue jeans, and black boots. A short while later, he walked out into the car park, got into the nine-year-old bronze Toyota Rav4 jeep his wife Janice bought in 2015, and drove onto the Killarney Rd towards Molls Gap. Mrs Gaine made a heart-felt appeal for any information about her husband, in a video released to the media last week. Read More Gardaí seek further information on dashcam footage in Michael Gaine case
