Funeral of Cloverhill Prison inmate murdered in his cell told he was just ‘a softie’

Horse and carriage driver Martin Salinger died after he was attacked on a protection landing in Cloverhill Prison earlier this month.

More than a dozen horse and carriage drivers escorted the father of four’s casket through Dublin’s inner city yesterday – on his final journey to St Catherine’s Church where a crowd of over 200 mourners had gather to bid him farewell.

Martin, who was on remand in the prison on charges relating to the seizure of a handgun and €20,000 worth of cannabis on August 15th, was fatally assaulted in his cell during an early morning attack on October 5th.

A cellmate, who was arrested in connection with his killing, was later released without charge as the investigation into Martin’s horrific murder continues.

The suspect was released without charge on Sunday and returned to Cloverhill.

As the funeral mass began, Martin’s brother-in-law Joey invited Martin’s children Warren and Max to bring a set of ‘winkers’ to the altar and Penny and Marley to bring a bottle of Lucozade and a scratch card.

“Martin loved to have a little gamble,” he said. “His Lucky 7s.”

Another symbol brought to the church was a packet of jellies.

In a touching tribute to her slain brother, Martin’s sister Deborah described him as a devoted family man who had built up the horse and carriage business for which he was best known.

“We all know how much of a softie Martin really was,” she said.

“A family man, he loved his kids,

“Warren, Max, Penney and Marley, They were his life.

“He also loved his nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews as if they were his own.

“He loved his sisters so much … walking both of us down the aisle and buying our wedding rings, he was so proud to do that for us.

“He would always say: ‘They’re my girls: Karen; Michelle and Deborah.”

Speaking of Martin’s beginnings in the horse and carriage business, she said: “He started doing coal on the four wheeler when he was just a kid …

“He used to park the four-wheeler outside the school, tie the horse to the pole and then ask the receptionist to keep an eye on it for him.

“He then moved on to the carriages in Stephen’s Green where he made his pals for life.

“And then he went on up to Guinness’ where he set up his yard in the Liberties … setting up his own carriage business doing many tours around Dublin.

“He was the only man who had his own website,” she said, “and he couldn’t even turn on a computer.”

Fr. Joe Kennedy, who was accompanied in celebrating the mass by prison chaplain Fr. Jimmy Kelly, said: “We’re all aware of the circumstances in which Martin lost his young life

“Please God, his family over the next days, weeks, and months and indeed coming years will be able somehow to cope with their great loss.”

“It’s a difficult time at any stage to lose a family member even if somebody is ill in hospital or whatever.

“But to lose someone like the way they’ve lost Martin in the circumstances in which they’ve lost him is hugely tragic and traumatic.

“And your presence here this morning will go some way to assist them in this very sad time.”

Martin‘s funeral was followed by cremation at Mount Jerome yesterday afternoon.

The cellmate arrested in connection with Martin’s murder was moved to the National Violence Reduction Unit (NVRU) in the Midlands Prison on Tuesday of this week.

It’s understood the 30-year-old suspect had been disciplined numerous times in the jail system in the months before the fatal attack on Martin.

He had been on remand in the prison since August of last year and is facing robbery charges before the Circuit Court.

The man, who has a serious drug problem, was previously jailed for six years for a vicious assault and robbery of an innocent man on the capital’s northside.

He also served a significant sentence for a previous robbery and has separate previous convictions for other violent crimes.