THE Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was among the mourners at the removal last night of the body of Dr Paddy Moriarty, the former chairman and chief executive of the ESB.
Hundreds of people, including senior politicians and representatives from the ESB, RTE and various sporting organisations attended the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook.
Mr Moriarty, a native of Dingle, Co Kerry, was 71 years old when he died. Mr Ahern gave his condolences to Dr Moriarty's wife, Esther O'Sullivan, and their five children.
Other dignitaries included the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey; the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh; the Minister for Education, Mr Martin; the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen; the Labour Party leader, Mr Dick Spring, and the Fianna Fail TD, Mr Tom Kitt. The former Workers' Party leader, Mr Tomas MacGiolla, was also in attendance at the Mass concelebrated by the parish priest, Father Richard Sherry. Present from the ESB were its chairman, Mr Billy McCann, chief executive, Mr Joe Moran, and directors, Mr Joe Maher, Mr Ted Dalton, Mr Michael Hayden, Mr Ken O'Hara and Mr Richard Hayden.
Mr Bob Collins, RTE Director General, and Mr Joe Mulholland, were among the representatives from the authority, of which Dr Moriarty was a former chairman.
Also paying their respects were the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, his wife, Maureen, and his daughter Eimear; Mrs Margaret Heffernan, chief executive of Dunnes Stores; sports commentator, Mr Jimmy Magee; golfer, Mr Paul McGinley, and Mr Mick O'Dwyer, the former Kerry footballer.
A funeral Mass will be held today at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Prayers will be read by Mr John Mulhern, representing the racing fraternity; Mr Willie Cremins, from ESBOA and the ESB trade unions; Ms Brid Tunney, ESB public relations director; Ms Joyce O'Connor, director of the National College of Industrial Relations; Ms Lis Ni Dhalaigh, from Fonduireacht an Bhlascaoid; Mr Eamon O hArgain, representing his association with Kerry Association; Mr David Sheahan, representing his association with Grange Golf Club; Mr Kevin Heffernan, representing the many aspects of his sporting life, particularly in the GAA.