Journalist shot dead in N.Ireland to be laid to rest Wednesday

A journalist killed by dissident republican paramilitaries in Northern Ireland is to be laid to rest on Wednesday, in a “celebration of her life” spent chronicling the troubled history of the province.

Lyra McKee, 29, was shot in the head on Thursday as riotersclashed with police in Londonderry, the second city of the British province.

   

On Tuesday dissident republican faction the New IRA claimedresponsibility and apologised, saying the shots had been aimed at the police.

The killing evoked memories of the three decades of violentstrife in Northern Ireland and sparked condemnation across the political spectrumalso in the neighbouring Republic of Ireland.

McKee’s partner Sara Canning said her funeral at St Anne’sCathedral in Belfast would be a “celebration of her life”.

McKee established her career writing about the so-called”ceasefire babies” — the generation which came of age after the 1998Good Friday Agreement which ended the conflict known as “TheTroubles”.

She also wrote as a passionate advocate for LGBT issues,featuring in the prestigious Forbes “30 under 30” list of risingstars in the media.

Canning asked that those attending the funeral ceremony wearHarry Potter and Marvel superhero clothing in tribute to McKee’s love of thefranchises.

“We are all poorer for the loss of Lyra,” Canningsaid on Friday.

“Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potentialwas snuffed out by a single barbaric act.” “Her legacy will live onin the life that she’s left behind.” The funeral is expected to begin ataround 1200 GMT.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney is to attend theceremony alongside President Michael D. Higgins.

Representatives from Northern Ireland’s six main politicalparties are also expected to attend, having issued a rare joint statement incondemnation of the killing.

“It was a pointless and futile act to destroy theprogress made over the last 20 years, which has the overwhelming support ofpeople everywhere,” it read.

British minister for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley calledMcKee a “young, vibrant woman who symbolised the new NorthernIreland.” “Our lasting tribute to Lyra will be to ensure that wecontinue to work for peace for the whole of Northern Ireland,” she toldMPs on Tuesday.

The New IRA seeks the integration of the British province ofNorthern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland — rejecting mainstreamnon-violent political campaigns to achieve that end.

Offering “full and sincere apologies” the splinterorganisation said McKee was unintentionally shot as their forces targetedpolice.

Police in Northern Ireland said Tuesday that a 57-year-oldwoman had been arrested under the Terrorism Act in connection with the killing.

Two men aged 18 and 19 who were arrested earlier in theinvestigation have now been released without charge.

McKee’s killing follows a spate of letter bombings and a carbombing, also claimed by the New IRA.

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