Psni granted extra time to question mcginley suspect

Police in Northern Ireland have been granted additional time to question a man in connection with the murder of Athlone resident Barney McGinley.

In a short statement this evening, the PSNI said detectives from the Serious Crime Branch have been granted extra time by a court to question a 46-year-old man arrested in Belfast yesterday.

Detective Chief Inspector Una Jennings said the court had granted a detention extension until early Saturday.

Mr McGinley (63), who was originally from Longford, but had been living in Athlone for several years, was shot in the chest outside St Mary’s chapel in Newtownbutler Co Fermanagh last Wednesday.

He was driven by other wedding guests to Lisnaskea police station from where he was flown by police helicopter to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen. However, tragically, he died a short time later.

The incident happened prior to the wedding of Matilda McGinley (17) to Jimmy Connors (16) from Dublin.

Mr McGinley was laid to rest in Coosan cemetery on Monday following funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church, Athlone.