PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins and several Government Ministers were among the hundreds of people who attended the removal yesterday evening of Eithne Kenny, mother of Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Mrs Kenny died at Mayo General Hospital early on Saturday, aged 93.
So great was the number of sympathisers in Castlebar, Co Mayo, that her remains were hours late arriving at the local Church of the Holy Rosary.
By 4pm when the funeral home opened to receive sympathisers, long queues had formed up Linenhall Street as far back as the Welcome Inn Hotel in New Antrim Street half a mile away.
Those who arrived early to pay their respects included Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan, Ministers of State Michael Ring, Fergus O’Dowd and Brian Hayes, along with Attorney General Máire Whelan.
Fianna Fáil were represented by deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív.
Some of those in the queue had travelled from Co Donegal, Mrs Kenny’s home county. Her maiden name was McGinley.
The Glencolmcille native met and married her husband, Henry Kenny, a primary teacher, in the 1940s at a time when she was a home economics teacher.
Many of the more elderly mourners recalled the assistance she had been to her husband before he was elected to the Dáil in 1954, and again in 1975 to her son Enda when he won the byelection caused by his father’s death.
Fr Pat Donnellan from Islandeady, Castlebar, led prayers at the funeral home before the remains were brought to the church. Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary also attended.
The Taoiseach said he wanted his mother’s funeral to be a celebration of a life well lived.
As mourners filed past the open coffin, they shook hands in turn with Mrs Kenny’s other sons and daughter; John, Henry, Kieran and Marie (Hastings). Mrs Kenny’s 11 grandchildren were also present.
The British-Irish Council Summit, scheduled for Dublin today, has been postponed as a mark of respect along with a number of other ministerial engagements.
Mr Kenny had been on an overnight patrol aboard the Naval Service patrol vessel LE Róisín when he received word that his mother had died.
The Taoiseach had committed to participating in the patrol some weeks ago and experienced gale force conditions on Saturday morning as the ship steamed from Cork harbour to Dublin.
Mrs Kenny will be laid to rest today in Islandeady Cemetery, a lakeside setting about three miles from Castlebar, following Requiem Mass at 11am.