The funeral of Old Bailey bomber and IRA veteran Roy Walsh who died aged 75 has taken place in Belfast.
The Requiem Mass was held in St Paul’s Church followed by a service in Roselawn Crematorium.
Several high-profile Republicans were seen at the funeral including Gerry Adams, Martina Anderson and Gerry Kelly.
It’s understood Walsh was receiving palliative care at Clonard House Care Centre in west Belfast.
He was convicted for his role in the IRA’s 1973 Old Bailey bombing which injured over 200 people.
One person also died from a heart attack.
MLA Gerry Kelly placing a tricolour on Roy Walsh’s coffin. Photo by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press
Walsh was part of an active service unit alongside Gerry Kelly, now a high-profile Sinn Fein MLA, Hugh Feeney, sisters Dolours and Marian Price, and six others from the IRA’s Belfast Brigade.
At his trial in November 1973, Walsh received life imprisonment for the bombings and 20 years for conspiracy along with seven other IRA volunteers.
The funeral mass was held by Father Mick Murtagh, who has known the Walsh family for over 25 years.
Fr Murtagh noted the large crowd of Walsh’s ‘family friends and many many colleagues that had gathered in St Paul’s Church.
“We are gathered here in solidarity and sympathy,” Fr Murtagh said.
He spoke directly to Walsh’s large family of siblings, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“It will be a difficult and sad time for you,” he said.
Funeral of lifelong republican Roy Walsh (Credit: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)
Fr Murtagh praised the family, saying Walsh and his late wife Mary would be proud of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Fr Murtagh spoke about Walsh’s early life, “Roy was born 1948 November 1, November 1 is a special day as it is All Saint’s Day, so Roy had a big call from the start, (he was) called to be a Saint, as we all are,” he said.
Fr Murtagh also spoke about Walsh’s life prior to joining the IRA, sharing stories about his time as a roofer and Celtic football club fan.
Acknowledging his past he said: “In 1971 as family life was beginning, in a hugely different context to what we are living in now, what was happening here was a totally different world, as many of you know but Roy ended up being sentenced in England for 21 years — that’s a big part of his story,” he said.
Fr Murtagh spoke about the ‘difficult and challenging times’ Walsh and his late wife Mary faced while Walsh was in prison.
Roy Walsh’s coffin leaving from one of the entrances for the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast (Credit: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)
“It was tough for Mary, negotiating times to visit Roy in England especially as he was moved to so many different prisons,” he said.
Fr Murtagh also shared his own experiences with Walsh.
“I first met him in 1994, two weeks before the ceasefire Roy worked a lot for prisoners and prisoners and he redeveloped his life again,” he said.
Fr Murtagh chose not to criticise or praise Walsh’s actions and urged mourners to do the same.
“Don’t glorify, don’t demonise his life, we are here to condemn his life to God. This isn’t a place to judge, this is a place to commend him to God,” he said.