Dirty tricks in funeral controversy

DIRTY tricks are likely behind the latest twist in the Healy Rae funeral controversy in the guise of an email sent to both Johnny Healy Rae and this newspaper that purports to be from a supporter informing him of a funeral he should ‘be seen at’ in mid-Kerry.

But the Kilgarvan councillor is at a loss as to the identity of the named sender.

Cllr Healy Rae meanwhile told The Kerryman that some bereaved families have even contacted the Healy Raes asking them not to stay away from their loved ones’ funerals simply because of the controversy – sparked by comments from Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill – that raged last week.

They became embroiled in the controversy that raged over the nation’s airwaves on the back of Cllr Cahill’s comments criticising other politicians for attending the funerals of people they don’t know.

“Cllr Cahill is an almighty smart man if he knows everyone I know. He’s trying to insinuate he knows who I know,” Cllr Healy Rae told The Kerryman this week.

As a member of such a prominent family active in Kerry politicis for decades he said the Healy Raes know a lot of people right across the region, attending funerals only where a relationship exists or had existed.

“I have attended funerals where I knew no one, only the deceased, as was the case with a funeral I was at in Cork this week for a man who worked with us years ago, but whose family I didn’t know.

“You go to pay your respects out of good manners, it’s the Irish thing to do,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the email both he and The Kerryman received this week the sender - purporting to be a supporter of the Healy Raes urged Johnny to attend the funeral of a deceased person in mid-Kerry:

“Very sad for the family but an opportunity for us to get seen again in north Kerry.”

But the person who sent it has nothing to do with the Healy Raes and Johnny was at a loss as to their identity.

He said he searched the name of the sender online to try to get to the bottom of it:

“I googled the name and found someone working as a teacher up country, but I didn’t spend too long worrying about it.”

Details of the funeral referred to in the email are easily obtainable online and the fact the writer mistakenly places mid-Kerry in north Kerry could be read as a sign of it likely being part of some dirty tricks attempt to smear the Healy Raes.

The Kerryman responded to the email but was informed the sender ‘did not mean’ to send it to this newspaper.