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ALL THE charm and spirit of an old New Orleans jazz funeral infused the celebration of Ronnie Drew's life in Greystones, Co Wicklow, yesterday as hundreds of family and friends, led by the singer's son and daughter, Phelim and Cliodhna, followed his coffin up the aisle to the strains of Just a Closer Walk with Thee, played by saxophonist, Keith Donald and sung by Eleanor Shanley and Mary Coughlan.

Over an hour before the start of the 10am service, the congregation had overflowed into a nearby church hall, which was equipped with a video link, out onto the local road and up onto a nearby bridge.