Priest describes attack on prominent Fermanagh businessman as a 'modern crucifixion'

By Q Radio reporter

A Cavan priest has told church-goers in Ballyconnell that there is an “obvious cancer of evil in our midst that needs to be exorcised before someone is murdered” almost a fortnight after the savage abduction and attack on a Fermanagh businessman.

Fr. Oliver O’Reilly received loud applause when he used his homily at Our Lady of Lourdes church to condemn the assault on Quinn group executive Kevin Lunney in which the father of six was left with life-changing injuries after being abducted from outside his home “as a modern crucifixion carried out by a Mafia-style group”.

He told Sunday morning mass that those responsible for the attack are being led by a "Godfather" figure and claims they are financed by people “so consumed with hatred they have lost their moral compass”

The vast majority of peace-loving law-abiding people of the area are being "held to ransom by a few unscrupulous individuals who are hugely dangerous”, said Fr. O’Reilly in his homily this morning which was attended by Mr. Lunney’s brother Tony.

Fr. O’Reilly said the torture of Mr. Lunney which lasted almost three hours was a "modern form of crucifixion deployed by terrorist groups such as Islamic State".

“This depraved act and scandalous attack on an innocent and powerless man by hired savage thugs”.

"This well planned and well organised abduction could only have happened when some person with ulterior motives agreed to pay these criminals a sum of money and gave instructions on what he required to be done to an unsuspecting victim," he said.

"Some devious people are so consumed with hatred and enmity that they lose their moral compass and are prepared to hire the most ruthless of criminals to achieve their sinister goals,” he will tell the congregation. 

The attack on Mr. Lunney was a "well planned and well organised abduction" said Fr. O’Reilly which "could only have happened when some person with ulterior motives agreed to pay these criminals a sum of money and gave instructions on what he required to be done to an unsuspecting victim".

"This senseless atrocity follows years of threats, abuse, lies and various forms of violent intimidation, against the directors of Quinn Industrial Holdings.

"Maybe some people in our region need to examine their consciences about their angry rants at public meetings and defamatory statements on one or more social media sites.

"They need to face the truth that their diatribes added to that climate of intimidation and incited hatred leading up to this dark deed. Let them now take responsibility for their actions and learn lessons.”

Pic: Kevin Lunney

Fr. O’Reilly said the "long reign of terror" now threatens "the lives and livelihoods" of everybody living in the Border areas of Fermanagh and Cavan.

He said there is a "false narrative" being pushed by a "small group of people in our midst" about the directors of Quinn Industrial Holdings.

He said Mr. Lunney and his colleagues are "quality leaders who courageously took on the management of this company at a time of crisis".

"These men lost their jobs at the time of administration and only came back at the end of 2014 to manage this company in order to save jobs in our region,” he will say.

"They have excelled in their endeavours and expanded the workforce to 830 staff. Our support and respect for them has been well earned, and is well deserved.”

Fr O'Reilly apologises for being “too complacent” in recent years to Mr. Lunney, his family and Quinn management, and added: "we have all been hoodwinked".

"I now believe there has been a Mafia style group with its own ‘Godfather’ operating in our region for some time behind the scenes. 

“They have decided to ratchet up the intimidation. The rubicon has now been crossed by this most recent barbaric assault,” he said.

“Nobody is above the law,” said Fr. O’Reilly.