Final resting place overlooks sea

Burial: Charles J Haughey was buried beside a member of the Old IRA, in the shade of two sycamore trees.

Séamus Kennedy belonged to the 4th North Division of the Old IRA and died in 1972, aged 75.

Along the same row lies Longford poet Pádraic Colum. As people waited for yesterday's State burial, one mourner quoted the poet:

"Oh to have a little house,

To own the hearth and stool and all."

Mr Haughey's final resting place at St Fintan's Cemetery overlooks the sea at Sutton and the edge of the sports grounds of the neighbouring St Fintan's school.

One visitor said the first thing every employee at the graveyard learns is the location of rock star Phil Lynott's grave, the most-visited grave in the cemetery. "Now they will have to know where Charlie Haughey is buried."

In the hours before the funeral cortege arrived at St Fintan's, people visited the lawn cemetery where two large screens broadcast the Mass at Our Lady of Consolation Church.

As the sun shone, some 50 people watched the Requiem, close to the screen. Others sat at the graves of their own loved ones, to watch. Further back, a woman in beige sat on a bench on her own.

It was Phil Lynott's mother, Philomena. "Charles Haughey came to my son's funeral and I've never forgotten it and all the times he was ill, I prayed for him," she said. She had already visited her son's grave. "He was probably at the pearly gates to welcome Charlie and thank him for coming to his funeral."

Back at the entrance to the section where Mr Haughey would be laid to rest, a number of people had started to gather inside the gate along the black-covered barricades.

Mr Haughey's brother, Fr Eoghan Haughey, shook hands with many of the mourners as he made his way to the grave site.

Mourners included President Mary McAleese, and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who gave the graveside oration. Cabinet members included Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan, Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív and Minister for Transport Martin Cullen.

Attorney General Rory Brady, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy, Redemptorist priest Fr Alec Reid and Sinn Féin vice president Pat Doherty also attended.

Ministers of State included Brian Lenihan, Síle de Valera, Noel Ahern, Mary Wallace, Seán Power, Michael Ahern and Noel Treacy.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny was there with his his wife, Fionnuala O'Kelly, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent also attended as did Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O'Hanlon.

TDs included chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party Séamus Kirk, Ned O'Keeffe, Seán Fleming, Ivor Callely, Michael Finneran, Denis O'Donovan and Seán Callanan.

Former minister and constituency colleague Vincent Brady, former EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn and former TD Ben Briscoe also attended.

Patsy McGuirk, former owner of the Bon Appetit restaurant in Malahide, and restaurateur Dan McGrattan also attended as did retired publican Dessie Hynes.

Conor Maguire SC, chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and Gerry Danaher SC also attended as did Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward and former TD Ben Briscoe.

Other mourners included businesswoman Gillian Bowler, who cut short a trip to Italy when she heard of Mr Haughey's death, and the writer Theo Dorgan, who was one of the first to arrive.