‘Reflect thoughtfully’priest asks young in wake of teen tragedy

‘Reflect thoughtfully’priest asks young in wake of teen tragedy Cameron O'Reilly

The Parish Priest of a teen who was murdered in Louth has appealed for people with information concerning Cameron O’Reilly’s death to come forward.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at the 18-year-old’s funeral on Monday morning. Fr Murtagh said the community were in “deep dismay” in his homily. “People were wondering out loud how he should have succumbed to such a cruel twist of faith. The old, it is said, go to their death. Death comes to the young. It seldom comes as shockingly, as cruelly, or as poignantly as it has to Cameron.”

Mr O’Reilly’s body was found beaten and strangled in a field on May 26. It is understood Garda are close to making arrests in connection with the case.

Fr Murtagh said: “I ask and appeal to our young people today to reflect thoughtfully on what has happened and to learn lessons from it.

“I ask those who are privileged to be parents to listen and to learn as well. I challenge our young people to examine the patterns of their lives and the direction in which their lives are going. I ask them to reflect on the kind of people they are turning out to be.”

As his remains left the funeral home for the short journey to St Brigid’s Church, guards of honour were formed by local sporting clubs.