Bishop's plea over victims' remains

Mrs McConville's sons carry her coffin out of the church

A senior Catholic clergyman has renewed his appeal for information about the remains of people the IRA abducted, murdered and secretly buried during the 1970s.

Bishop Patrick Walsh was speaking on Saturday at the funeral of Jean McConville, 37, one of the so-called Disappeared.

The mother-of-ten had been taken by the IRA and shot dead 31 years ago, after she went to the aid of a fatally wounded British soldier outside her front door.

Mrs McConville's remains were found on a beach in the Republic of Ireland two months ago.

On Saturday, some of Mrs McConville's nine surviving children helped carry her coffin which left her son Michael's home in Crumlin for Requiem Mass at St Paul's Church in the Falls Road, Belfast.

A dispute amongst the children over the funeral arrangements had threatened to overshadow the funeral, but all of them attended.

Every aspect of the murder was inhuman, it touched the depths of depravity Bishop Patrick Walsh

The Bishop of Down and Connor told mourners that Mrs McConville's death was "cruel in its execution and cruel in its consequences" for her orphaned children, compounded by her burial in an unmarked grave.

"Every aspect of the murder was inhuman, it touched the depths of depravity," he said.

Bishop Walsh said there were families who still suffered "an agonising wait" to recover the bodies of their loved ones.

"I make a fervent and heartfelt plea to anyone who can help with information: In God's name, in the name of humanity, give that information and give peace of mind to other distraught families," he said.

Agnes McConville is comforted by her brother Jim

He said Mrs McConville's family had waited to bury their mother "wounded and scarred with grieving and restless hearts" at times feeling alone.

Monsignor Thomas Toner, who celebrated the Mass, said he hoped the recovery of Mrs McConville's body would bring the family "great healing".

He said Mrs McConville and the other Disappeared would "forever stand in judgement on the shame and guilt of their murderers".

During the funeral service Presbyterian minister Reverend Ruth Patterson read out some comments from Mrs McConville's children.

One was: "When they took our mother away they may as well have killed us too."

Jean McConville was abducted in 1972

After the service, the cortege made its way to Divis Street in Belfast, from where Mrs McConville was abducted, and a minute's silence was held.

Then Mrs McConville was buried beside her husband in Lisburn, County Antrim.

Police confirmed last week that remains, found at Shelling Hill beach in County Louth in August, were those of Mrs McConville.

Irish police confirmed that she had died from a bullet wound to the head.

Last month, the IRA apologised for the grief caused to the families of the nine Disappeared.

The organisation said it was sorry that the suffering of the families had continued for so long.

But Mrs McConville's family said the IRA's apology meant nothing.