PRAYERS WERE said in churches in the Newry area yesterday for Marion Graham and Kathy Dinsmore, who were murdered while on holidays in Turkey.
Prayers were also offered for the women’s family and particularly for 15-year-old Shannon Graham, whose Turkish boyfriend has appeared in court in Turkey in connection with the murders.
It also emerged yesterday that the former husband of Kathy Dinsmore buried his second wife yesterday. Dan Doyle from Newry, who was previously married to Ms Dinsmore, was the chief mourner yesterday at the funeral of his 48-year-old wife Colette.
A mother of six children, her funeral took place after Requiem Mass at the Church of the Assumption in Drumalane in Newry.
Now Newry is preparing for the funerals of Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore.
The Sinn Féin mayor of Newry, Charlie Casey, who was a friend of Ms Dinsmore for 30 years and also knew Ms Graham, said the town was rallying behind the two families.
He said he spoke over the weekend to Ms Dinsmore’s brother George and Ms Graham’s daughter Karen, a step-sister of Shannon, and they were struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones and the terrible circumstances of the murders.
“Everybody is waiting patiently for the bodies to be released to get them home, and for the young girl [Shannon] to come home,” said Mr Casey.
He said both women had strong, vibrant personalities. “They wouldn’t be too long in letting you know what they thought of you in a good-natured way if you didn’t step up to the mark. This town has borne quite a few shocks in its recent past but this tragedy appears to have had a particular impact on people because you have two young women who were well known in the community and had very large extended families and huge connections right throughout the entire town – so there is a feeling everywhere of despair and despondency and shock and horror.
“People can’t wait to get them home to give them a decent Christian burial. They are also awaiting the outcome of the trial to try to see what was going on in that young fellow’s head.”
