HUNDREDS of people today queued up to pay their respects to murdered farmer Michael Gaine.
Mourners lined the streets of Kenmare, Co Kerry this afternoon.
They waited patiently to walk past his coffin at Finnegan’s Funeral Home, where his old rally car was also parked outside.
Among those who came to pay their respects were Kerry GAA legend Pat Spillane and local Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae.
The five-hour wake ended with a decade of the rosary at 7pm.
Traffic restrictions will be in place for his funeral Mass tomorrow, which will take place at Kenmare’s Holy Cross Church from 10.30am.
The farmer, known as ‘Mike’, was last seen on March 21.
He was then murdered and chopped up, with body parts discovered in a slurry tank on his land.
Just days ago, the family confirmed his funeral details.
He will be buried in a private resting place after a service in his native Kenmare tomorrow morning.
An online death notice, posted by Gaine’s “heartbroken” wife and sisters, paid tribute to the “fondly remembered” 56-year-old.
The notice reads: “Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken wife Janice, sisters Noreen and Catherine, nieces Emma and Rachael, nephews Jamie and Mark, brother-in-law Seán, aunt Noreen (Fitzpatrick, Cork), his close friends DJ and Shane and his wide circle of loyal friends in the Farming and Rallying community and beyond, cousins, in-laws and extended family.
“May you rest in peace Michael.”
His funeral comes 11 weeks after he was last seen at a Centra shop in the Kerry town on March 20 – around 8kms from his Carrig East-based farm.
He was last seen buying credit in his local Centra store in Kenmare that morning and a large scale multi-agency search was launched shortly after.
The remains of the farmer were discovered on the evening of Friday, May 16, after a slurry spreader jammed.
When workers examined it, they realised there were bones and human tissue inside.
Further remains were found in two fields where the slurry was spread, and in the tank the liquid substance was taken from.
INVESTIGATION ONGOING
Last weekend, Gardai confirmed that the remains found on farmland belonging to Mike had been formally been identified as his.
Gardai said in a statement: “Human remains found at farmland at Carrig East, Kenmare have been identified as being the remains of Michael Gaine.
“Garda continue to appeal to the public for assistance in this investigation.
“The Garda investigation team can be contacted at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or speak with any member of An Garda Siochana.”
