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LAST UPDATE | 11 Aug 2025
A CO DOWN priest remains in a “serious but stable” condition in hospital after being subjected to a “brutal attack” in his church on Sunday which is being treated as an attempted murder.
The PSNI has issued a renewed appeal for information following a murder and attempted murder in Downpatrick yesterday.
Father John Murray, 74, was reportedly struck on the head with a bottle at St Patrick’s Church.
He was approached by a man who asked if he would hear his confession ahead of the Sunday morning service, and attacked as shocked parishioners arrived for mass.
Fr Murray, who was preparing to celebrate his final Sunday Mass before retiring this week, sustained a serious head injury and was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
Police have said the attack may be linked to the death of a man in Downpatrick who has been named locally as Stephen Brannigan.
Mr Brannigan was found dead at an address in Marian Park at about 12pm on Sunday.
A 30-year-old man remains in police custody being questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
On Monday morning, investigators were at a house in Marian Park where Mr Brannigan was found.
In a statement this evening, Brannigan’s family said: “In the midst of our shock, pain and total heartbreak at the news of the brutal murder of our beloved dad, grandad, son and brother Stephen yesterday, we want to convey our sincere thanks to all those who have surrounded us with such love and care in the hours that have followed.”
The family said they also wanted to convey their concern for Fr Murray.
The statement added: “Fr John is highly respected by our family and by all in our community.
“It is so typical of his kindness that he was willing to reach out in trust to someone he believed was in distress, despite the obvious risk to himself.
“With so many others, we pray for his full recovery and thank him for his own prayers for us which he has conveyed through the priests of the parish.”
The statement added that Brannigan was known as “someone who was always willing to help out, ready to do whatever needed to be done for the good of others”.
“Even the day before he died, he was tending the graves of friends and neighbours, as he did, almost every day, the grave of his late wife Dorenda, who died five years ago from cancer.
“Stephen faced many difficult issues in his life. We know his life was not perfect. But for us, he was our dad, our grandad, our son and our brother.
“His rock through all of this was Dorenda. We pray they will be reunited now in perfect peace and love.”
Prayers are to be offered for both the Brannigan family and Fr Murray at a service led by Bishop Alan McGuckian in St Colmcille’s Church in Downpatrick on Tuesday morning.
A PSNI spokesperson has said that while investigations into both the murder and attempted murder are at the early stages, one line of enquiry is that the two are connected.
The PSNI is keen to speak to anyone who was in the St Patrick’s Avenue area of Downpatrick between 9am and 11am on Sunday, or the Marian Park area between 12 midnight and 12 noon.
Superintendent Norman Haslett, the District Commander for Newry, Mourne and Down, added: “For a man to be murdered and a Priest to be attacked in the sanctity of his own church, these are appalling acts and I understand that many people will inevitably be struggling to come to terms with both grief and shock.
“I want to reassure the local community that there is no ongoing risk to the public and you will see an increased visible police presence in the area over the next few days.”
Meanwhile, the Downpatrick Family of Parishes said that Canon Murray continues to receive exceptional care and it “stable and comfortable”.
They added that St Patrick’s Church and its grounds remained closed.
SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath described shock and disbelief in Downpatrick following the events of Sunday.
“The shocking nature of the attack on Father Murray on what was supposed to be the commencement of his retirement, in a public manner and in daylight, exposes an awful lot of vulnerability in that scenario but also more widely, for clergy across Ireland, and other workers in the community, what can happen in the blink of an eye.”
Police described the incident as a “completely shocking and brutal attack”.
A prayer vigil was held at St Brigid’s Church in the town on Sunday night.
Detective Chief Inspector McBurney appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Fr Murray, originally from Ballygowan and a priest for almost 50 years, has served in Downpatrick parish for the past 11 years.
A statement from the Downpatrick Family of Parishes thanked the public for their prayers and asked people not to speculate online.
“Please keep everyone involved in your prayers in the days ahead,” it said.
St Patrick’s Church remains closed, and all masses there have been cancelled until further notice.
Fr Edward McGee, a priest in the diocese of Down and Connor, described the murder and attack on Fr Murray as “a shocking series of events”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said that Fr Murray is “well respected and liked” in the Downpatrick community, who are praying for his recovery.
“He has a great commitment to his ministry and to the people,” Fr McGee said. “People here are just so shocked that this would happen to him.”
It is difficult to comprehend that this would happen to a priest.
Fr McGee said that Fr Murray received “quite serious” head injuries, and he is serious but stable in hospital.
Local SDLP councillor Conor Galbraith described it as “a really difficult 24 hours” for Downpatrick.
Galbraith, who knows the family of the murder victim, said that the community was providing support to the man’s family, including his two daughters and grandchildren.
He also described Fr Murray as “a very quiet man, but a pillar of the community” in Downpatrick.
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