BY C.J.MCGINLEY
THE community in Carndonagh has been ‘traumatised’ by the double murder of a popular husband and wife, the couple’s parish priest has said.
Fr Con McLaughlin was speaking after a joint funeral was held for Jimmy and Kathleen Cuddihy in Carndonagh earlier today.
James (77) and Kathleen Cuddihy from Churchtown were found dead in their home just outside the village last Thursday morning. Their 42-year-old son has been charged with their murders.
Fr McLaughlin said people “could not get their heads around what happened”.
The priest, who knew both victims personally, said a “silence” had fallen over the village since the attack.
‘Terrible pain’
The Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown, told mourners at the service that the couple’s deaths had “caused tears, fear and anxiety in this parish and far beyond it”.
“We gather round the Cuddihy family in their terrible pain and loss. But, as we gather to pay our sympathies to the extended family, we also recognise what effect their deaths have had on very many people,” the bishop added.
Mourners at the double funeral were told the family has suffered “terrible pain and loss”
The couple, who were a retiered teacher and nurse-paramedic were buried in the grounds of the Church of the Sacred Heart after the service.
The victims had four children and had been living in Carndonagh since the 1960s.
Mr Cuddihy was originally from south Co Kilkenny and Mrs Cuddihy was a retired ambulance nurse. She was a native of Malin. Her father was a former well known county councillor Mickey Deery.
Fr McLaughlin, who was a former pupil of Mr Cuddity, described him as an “inspirational teacher”.
The parish priest also said Mrs Cuddihy had treated his mother on many occasions and he would always be grateful for her care and “professionalism”.
The retired couple were also dedicated members of Ballyliffin golf club which was closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect.
Páid Sweeney from the club said its members were “dumbfounded” by the tragedy.
“Since it happened there’s nobody interested in playing golf,” he said.
Mr Sweeney described them as “decent, lovely, genuine people”.
“Jimmy was a very witty man. Kathleen stuck her heart into everything. Everything she done was for the good of people in the locality.”
He added: “People are just completely dumbfounded here, we don’t know what to do. It will never be the same in Ballyliffin.”
The couple’s son, Julian Cuddihy, of Churchtown, Carndonagh, has been charged with two counts of murder.
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