Funeral of James Hughes takes place in Crossmaglen
Huge crowds gathered in Crossmaglen today as the funeral of James Hughes took place. The former Crossmaglen Rangers man was honoured by the club as his former team mates carried his coffin and formed a guard of honour when the cortege stopped outside the clubhouse on its way to St Patrick’s Church.
Mr Hughes, who has won three all-Ireland medals with the club, was shot and killed in Dundalk, Co Louth, last weekend. 32 year old Shane Rogers of Deery Terrace, Inniskeen has been charged with the murder after handing himself in to Carrickmacross Police Station.
Parish priest Father, Joseph McKeever, paid tribute to the father of three at the service: “Today, as we honour James’s memory and pray for our community in these dark days, we must also pray that none of us will dishonour that precious memory with thoughts or words of recrimination or incitement. A friend whose open-heartedness, kindness, cheer and good nature made many blessed to have his friendship.”
The touching tribute ended with Father McKeever added, “As fiercely competitive as he was when he donned the Cross jersey, in his social life, and in his attitude and treatment of others off the field, he preferred harmony and helpfulness, building people up with the sheer force of his wonderful personality and his warm character.”
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