Published: Wednesday, 10th June, 2009 9:27am

'Turn away from violence": Priest"s plea at funeral of murder victim

by Noelle Finegan

Mourners at the funeral of Navan man David (DJ) Sharkey, who was stabbed to death three weeks ago, heard a priest at his funeral make a plea for a turning away from violence.

Fr Dwayne Gavin, CC, Navan, asked people to choose life rather than the dark spiral of death that had seen so many families devastated.

St Mary"s Church in Navan was packed with mourners, young and old, on Friday morning as they came to pay their last respects to Mr Sharkey (28). Almost three weeks after the young Claremont man was brutally killed, his heartbroken family finally got to say their last farewells and lay their son to rest.

His body was found in the boot of his car in Finglas, Dublin, on 17th May but he is believed to have been killed at an apartment in Blackcastle, Navan. A man has been charged with his murder and a request by the accused man"s defence for a second post mortem examination to be carried out on Mr Sharkey"s body meant the family had to face an agonising wait before they could finally bury their son.

For parents David and Anne, sister Joanne and brothers Ryan, Philip and Deane, it was the second time to sit in the front pew of St Mary"s Church to say their goodbyes to a son and brother.

David"s younger brother, Simon, died days after being stabbed at a house party in Navan four years ago when he was just 18 years old.

Fr Gavin said the loss of Simon was just about becoming bearable when DJ was killed. He said that for it to happen once was too much for any family, and that for it to happen a second time was a very heavy burden to bear.

He said that DJ"s girlfriend Joleen and daughter Jade had built their lives around DJ and planned their future, but now those dreams had been shattered.

Fr Gavin told mourners that David"s parents wanted to send a very clear message, especially to the young people, that they should respect their own lives and the lives of others.

He said: 'I put the challenge to each and every one of you. If you really want to pay a decent tribute to DJ and show genuine loyalty as a friend, then choose life rather than the dark spiral of death and not see any more families devastated in the same way as the Sharkey family have.'

Fr Gavin said one only had to spend a short time with the family to see their devastation. One decision to kill someone else had plunged them into darkness and sadness. He told mourners that if they don"t make the choice for life, then their tears will be meaningless.

Mr Sharkey remains were laid to rest in St Mary"s Cemetery, Navan, following the funeral Mass on Friday.

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