BY ADRIAN MULLAN

THE funeral takes place this morning (Thursday) of a former Newtownstewart musician tragically killed in a road traffic collision on Sunday.

Twenty nine year-old, Gareth McNamee, who was well known and highly respected in music and entertainment circles was on his way home to Moortown after playing at a pub in Omagh. The accident occurred at Drum Road, and the driver of the other vehicle, involved in the collision was arrested at the scene, but later released on police bail. Gareth had played in Strain's Bar and proprietor Larry Strain senior, said he was stunned to hear of Gareth's tragic death. "This is very sad. He was a great lad and had a terrific background in music.

Gareth was waked at his mother Una's home at Fort Hill Park, Newtownstewart and buried following requiem Mass at St Eugene's Church, Glenock.

People from Newtownstewart and the surrounding area have expressed their shock and sorrow at the death of Gareth whose wife, Geraldine, is expecting their first child. Parish Priest, Father Stephen Kearney, said, "I knew Gareth well. He was a very talented musician who sang regularly in the the chapel at weddings, funerals and other services. He was a very popular man from a very popular family."

Omagh musician and music producer, Gareth McGurgan, who knew the deceased extremely well said he could not take in the news. "I was talking to him on the phone on Saturday. He was talking about recording a CD and he was looking forward to that, and I was looking forward to producing it, now he's gone."

"We were at the CBS together from first through to seventh year, after that we were in Stone Canyon for two years. We went to college, in Belfast and wrote songs together. He regularly stayed at my house or I stayed at his, we were great friends. I just can't take it in."