A Donegal priest offered prayers for slain Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi at Mass on Sunday – and thought nothing of it.

Fr Dinny McGettigan has defended his decision to pray for the soul of the man who ruled Libya with an iron fist for over 40 years.

The well known parish priest at St Eunan’s Church in Raphoe invited Mass goers to join in his prayers just days after confirmation that Gaddafi had been shot dead by rebels.

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“I just mentioned his name along with the names of the other people from our parish who recently died,” said the 72-year-old Fr McGettigan.

“I would pray for anyone, so I have no problem whatsoever praying for Muammar Gaddafi.”

The Raphoe priest also stated that Gaddafi needed all the prayers he could get after his actions as Libyan dictator. “That’s all the more reason to pray for him,” added Fr McGettigan.

One parishioner said: “It bothered no one. Fr Dinny is a very Christian man.”