Curses, tales of thievery, a screwdriver, and no regard for COVID-19 protocols were all present at a famous Irish thief's funeral on Friday. The funeral proceedings were described as "the most disturbing" he had seen by one priest present.
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Dean Maguire, a 29-year-old Irish thief who recently passed away, was honored by family, friends, and colleagues on Friday as eulogies were given a bit off the cuff inside St. Mary's Priory in Dublin, the Irish Times reported.
Maguire was killed in a fiery car crash earlier in the month as he and the other passengers in the car, who had extensive rap sheets, were fleeing authorities. According to the Times, the car attempted to escape by going into oncoming traffic; instead, they collided head-on with a truck.
The driver of the truck was left seriously injured but was not mentioned at the funeral.
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As a father of two, Maguire was a well-known thief who was always willing to protect his family, especially his brother Paddy, according to the Times.
"If Paddy had an argument with someone, you would say, 'Paddy, show me where they live, and I will go up and blow them off the map,'" one relative said, according to the Times.
One mourner was colorful in his goodbye to Maguire.
"Sorry for the language, Father," he said, according to the Times. "Rest in peace, you f—king legend."
The church was decked out for the remembrance of Maguire as a professionally printed banner hung behind the altar, which read, "You know the score, get on the floor, don't be funny, show me the money."
The crowd assembled to honor Maguire was far from under the COVID-19 occupancy limits. Those present at the funeral made offerings which included his cap, a screwdriver, newspapers, a flashlight, and Maguire's registration plate. Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" echoed throughout the church as the casket was taken out.
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One visitor claimed a book could be written of all the good and bad memories the two had together.
"But I won't mention them because you can't get flipped, but I can," the mourner said, according to the Times. "You know the score, brother."
A career of burglary saw Maguire rack up multiple criminal convictions; he was even wanted in the U.K. for fleeing a prison there in 2018, the New York Post reported.
Rev. Donal Roche was at the church to enforce its COVID-19 protocols and was left disgusted by the display.
"It was the most disturbing liturgy I have ever been at," Roche told RTE Liveline.
He told the Times in another interview that the eulogies were "very strange."
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There was tape placed over pews to allow for social distancing, which mourners ignored, Extra.ie reported.
The police were called to enforce COVID-19 protocols, but they said their presence might only make things worse unless the unruly crowd started breaking laws.