State funeral for murdered Irish police officer being held in home town

A state funeral for a murdered Irish police officer will take place later.

Detective Garda Colm Horkan, 49, was shot dead on Wednesday night in the town of Castlerea in Co Roscommon.

Garda colleagues across the country will observe one minute’s silence at noon as the service gets under way at St James’ Church in Mr Horkan’s home town of Charlestown, Co Mayo.

President Michael D Higgins will lead a memorial service on the grounds of his residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

The Garda is making arrangements to ensure the officer is afforded formal state honours within the current coronavirus regulations on public gatherings.

One man – Stephen Silver, 43, from Aughaward, Foxford in Co Mayo – was remanded in custody on Friday night charged with Mr Horkan’s murder.

On Friday, hundreds of people gathered in Mayo and Roscommon to pay their respects to Mr Horkan.

There were emotional scenes in Ballaghaderreen in Roscommon as the hearse carrying the remains of Mr Horkan made its way through the town towards his home in Charlestown.

The cortege was flanked by gardai on motorcycles, while people lined the streets where Mr Horkan had worked for several years.

Floral tributes were left outside Ballaghaderreen Garda station.

There were similar scenes late on Friday night in Charlestown as hundreds of people lined the streets as the hearse passed by.