Irish Daily Mail

Garda ring of steel for the funeral of gunman in Christmas Eve shooting

Fears of gang war as steakhouse shooter laid to rest

- By Ian Begley ian.begley@dailymail.ie

GARDAÍ formed a ring of steel around the church where the funeral of Christmas Eve gunman Tristan Sherry took place yesterday amid fears of violent reprisals.

The gunman, 25, was overpowere­d and killed after dischargin­g a machine pistol in a gangland attack at Browne’s Steakhouse, Blanchards­town, west Dublin on December 24.

Jason Hennessy Sr, 48, who was injured in the incident, died ten days later in hospital.

Yesterday’s funeral passed off without incident, after a heavy Garda presence was deployed over fears of retaliatio­n attacks.

Armed officers were seen patrolling the vicinity of St Canice’s Church in Finglas throughout the funeral service.

Earlier, gardaí conducted an extensive search of the church and its grounds.

Plain-clothed detectives and members of the Armed Support Unit monitored the situation as Sherry’s coffin was transporte­d by hearse from Massey Brothers Funeral Home, across the road.

Around 50 members of the young man’s friends and family filled the

Floral tributes included motorbike

front rows of the church, including his mother, Mary, sister Savanna and baby daughter, Aria.

Numerous floral tributes, which included ones in the shape of a bottle of Grey Goose vodka and a motorcycle, adorned his coffin as it was placed before the altar. Other flower arrangemen­ts read ‘Big T’, ‘Dad’, ‘Tristo’ and ‘Nephew’.

One mourner, named Paddy, described Sherry as a ‘big chap with a bigger heart’.

‘Where do I start? You were more than a friend to me, you were family,’ he said.

‘You stuck with us right through everything. To say you were good craic would be an understate­ment. You were amazing, that was that – no ifs or buts about it.’

His pal added that Sherry loved driving cars and motorcycle­s.

‘Two or four wheels you would proper rally the thing. There was not a car in his driveway that he didn’t rally.

‘You were a big chap with a bigger heart. The only good thing that came out of this is that you’re back with your nanny and dad now who, as we all know, meant the world to you,’ he said.

When Fr Richard Hyland concluded the service, Sherry’s remains were brought to Glasnevin Cemetery.

A number of people are before the courts charged in relation to Sherry’s death.

Meanwhile, another heavy Garda presence is expected during the funeral of Jason Hennessy Sr on Saturday.

Hennessy, who was facing a money laundering trial next year, was shot in the neck while having a meal with a family member.

He was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchards­town by a relative where he was stabilised.

However, as his condition worsened he was transferre­d to the Mater Hospital and died on January 4. It’s understood he was part of an organised crime gang, which is involved in a bitter feud in Corduff, Blanchards­town, and Finglas. Both sides have been carrying out attacks on the other since 2019, and gardaí fear an all-out war could erupt between the two factions following the Christmas Eve incident.

A notice on RIP.ie states that Hennessy died ‘suddenly, surrounded by his loving family and friends’.

‘Sadly missed by his beloved wife Veronica, loving children, loving mother and father, grandchild­ren, daughter in law, sons in law, loving sisters, extended family and large circle of friends.’

His funeral Mass will take place

on Saturday at St Patrick’s church in Corduff, Blanchards­town, followed by a crematoriu­m service at Glasnevin.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has condemned the Christmas

Eve attack, which took place in a busy restaurant filled with families and young children.

Minister McEntee said: ‘I deplore the violence in Blanchards­town. This viciousnes­s has resulted in unimaginab­le human suffering this Christmas.

‘That anyone could perpetrate such violence as families gathered together is especially disgusting.

‘I’m thinking of the bereaved, those who were at the scene and indeed all the emergency service personnel... who have to deal with this senseless violence.

‘I call on anyone with informatio­n of any kind to contact An Garda Síochána.’

More arrests are expected as part of the Garda investigat­ion into the incident.

‘Unimaginab­le human suffering’

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KILLED IN RESTAURANT Tributes: Tristan Sherry, above, died after shooting in the steakhouse and, right the Garda presence at his funeral yesterday
ON HIGH ALERT KILLED IN RESTAURANT Tributes: Tristan Sherry, above, died after shooting in the steakhouse and, right the Garda presence at his funeral yesterday

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