Lavish display of wealth at the funeral of a feared outback criminal
These were just some of the lush floral displays on display at the funeral service of career criminal Stephen Reilly (O'Reilly) in Athlone last weekend.
Reilly, of 9 Beech Park West, Athlone, Co Westmeath and formerly of Greystones, Dublin, and who was in his 30s, died following a single-vehicle road accident in Offaly last Monday.
The father-of-one was believed to be one of the Midlands' most violent and dangerous criminals, with a string of previous convictions to his name.
He had also been closely associated with a feared Longford-based organized crime gang (OCG) and appeared before a number of courts upstate for serious alleged offences.
“He was an extremely violent person,” a source told the Irish Independent.
One of the tributes at Stephen O'Reilly's funeral.
“From an early age he became involved in burglaries in and around Athlone and was suspected of concealing firearms and drugs for a notorious outback crime gang.”
A number of sympathizers lined up to pay their respects at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Coosan, Athlone on Saturday, where an elaborate array of lavish floral tributes were laid in honor of the slain gangster.
One showed a portrait of Reilly showing off his ripped physique with the cheeky epitaph: 'The real Pablo…The one and only gangster Reilly'.
Another equally elaborate and brash tribute featured an illustration of a container full of white powder, with the words: 'No comment' underneath.
The reference to Reilly's criminal past was an image also carried in an otherwise grandiose and equally crude tribute, this time directed at a named Garda.
Some tributes at Stephen O'Reilly's funeral.
The decorative and rimmed display featured the crude tribute: 'Detective….0 Reilly 1' beneath a bottle of black pepper.
The Irish Independent website has also obtained video footage taken in the aftermath of the funeral, which shows a man lying face down on the ground shortly after being arrested by gardaí.
“Gardaí arrested and charged a man (aged 30) in Athlone, County Westmeath, with driving offenses on Saturday 25 May 2024,” a Garda spokesperson said.
“As this matter is currently before the courts, An Garda Síochána is unable to comment further.”