A priest lashed the evil and arrogant killers of feud victim Keane Mulready-Woods on Thursday and accused them of playing God when they executed him.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at the Holy Family Church in Ballsgrove, Drogheda for the funeral Mass of the tragic 17 year-old.
Fr Phil Gaffney also pleaded with the slain teen's young friends to learn from his 'naive' mistakes before getting involved with dangerous criminals.
He said: “Along with that there has to be great anger and even sadness, great fear and pain perhaps, at the thought that we live in a society where certain people took upon themselves to play God with regard to the life of Keane Mulready Woods.
“They took upon themselves to be judge and jury, and executioner.
"What arrogance. What appalling wickedness and evil.
"God alone is the Lord of Life – from its beginning.”
The local parish priest insisted that the drugs-fuelled gangland war and "the promise of money and gifts will inevitably end in tragedy".
Keane Mulready-Woods was brutally murdered and dismembered in a horrific Narcos-style attack that shocked the nation last month.
The Narcos-style killers dumped his arms and legs in a holdall bag near a rival gangster’s home in Coolock, North Dublin on Monday night, January 13.
His head and hands were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra two days later.
Fr Gaffney spoke about the heartbreaking void left in the lives of parents Barry and Elizabeth and the victim’s brothers Darren, Ryan and Jack and sister Courtney.
Keane was stabbed and dismembered in the killing that was part of the ongoing Drogheda feud in the Co Louth town.
Gardai believe Keane was abducted in the Ballsgrove area of Drogheda, Co Louth on January 12 and taken to a house in Rathmullen Park where he was tortured, killed and cut apart.
Dozens of the teen's relatives and pals -including sister Courtney and brother Ryan -wore white t-shirts with his face emblazoned on them.
Meanwhile, a red scrambler bike was plastered on the side of the white coffin carrying the remains of the slain young man.
There was high security at the funeral mass with plain clothed armed undercover officers standing at the two entrances to the church, while the Armed Response Unit were parked across the road.
Little brother Ryan poignantly carried Keane's helmet up the altar during the offertory gifts as many mourners wiped away tears.
Fr Gaffney described the victim as 'naive' and warned his grieving young friends to stay away from criminality and the wrong people who have 'no value on life'.
He said: "Keane had his troubles and was young and naive enough to fall in with the wrong people, not knowing or anticipating the dire consequences.
"I hope that his death will be a warning to other young teenagers who are been groomed by the ruthless criminals, that the promise of money and gifts will inevitably end in tragedy.
"Keane’s association with them, sadly, led to the inhuman, unthinkable way in which his young life was to end.
"This feud in Drogheda has to end sometime. Let’s all hope and pray it ends before more lives are lost."
Fr Gaffney also pleaded with the grieving pals of the slain Co Louth teen to learn from his mistakes.
“Please learn from his mistakes, getting involved with dangerous criminals, thinking some of them were his friends and yet they would sacrifice him in such a brutal manner," he said.
“Drugs have become extremely easy for young people to obtain. Recently someone commented that a lot of people are now budgeting for their debs – as well as their clothes and drink – they’re also budgeting now for cocaine, and other drugs."
The murder of the teen was the third killing in the escalating gangland feud since it erupted last July and Fr Gaffney spoke about how it was shattering local families.
He added: "This murder has brought about an unparalleled level of revulsion, not alone in Drogheda, but throughout our country and, indeed, far beyond.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all whose hearts are broken.
"This great gift of life we have received from God our creator is a treasure.
"It is precious but it is fragile.
"When death comes to someone young and under tragic circumstances as Keane’s, it robs us of not only what we possess but of our hopes and dreams, so many plans, so many expectations, can be no more.
"No mother expects to bury her child no matter what the age."
Fr Gaffney, who called for more action from the Government, also slammed those who take drugs which has fuelled the violence and bloodshed.
He said: “It isn’t just communities with deprived socio-economic backgrounds that are worse for illegal drug taking, it has become ‘socially acceptable’ across the country among people from all backgrounds.
“These violent incidents need to be a wake-up call for all of us as a society to realise that actions have consequences. People who are taking drugs on a social basis have to realise that what they are doing is fuelling this situation of violence.
Music played during the emotive service included 'You Raise Me Up' as the coffin was brought into the church and Donna Taggart's 'Jealous of the Angels' as the coffin was carried out.
After the funeral Mass the remains were brought to the nearby Calvary Cemetery for burial.
The same celebrant Fr Gaffney urged mourners during the funeral of the first victim of the feud Keith Branigan in September to 'turn away' from violence.
The Drogheda native, 29, who was from Ballsgrove, was sprayed with bullets from a machine gun and hit five times as he carried out work at his mobile home in Clogherhead, Co Louth on August 27.
