The President, Mrs McAleese, and the former president, Mrs Mary Robinson, were among hundreds of mourners who crammed a Dublin church yesterday for the funeral of the comedian, actor and satirist, Dermot Morgan.
The funeral at St Theresa's Church, Mount Merrion, was a poignant, emotional and sad occasion, but there were also moments of humour.
Father Michael Paul Gallagher concelebrated the Mass with four other priests who represented aspects of Dermot Morgan's life: Dr Dermod McCarthy, of RTE; Father Brian d'Arcy, believed to have been the model for one of Dermot Morgan's most popular characters, Father Trendy; Father Martin Cosgrove of Mount Merrion Parish, where the comedian grew up; and Father Gerry Magarry of St Michael's College, where he was a teacher for a time.
Father Gallagher, a friend since Dermot was a student and his tutor at University College Dublin, recalled how he lent Dermot a priest's collar so that he could do an impression of a "zany priest professor" for impressionable first-year students.
Father Gallagher said Dermot used to write essays when at UCD, and was eager for a good comment at the end when they were returned.
"What can I say to you today, Dermot, about the essay that has been your far-too-short life? In the name of us all, I say: brilliant, a joy to read. Even if rushed and unfinished. Thank you and well done.
"For you, Dermot, we mourn and yet give thanks for the merriment you both lived and gave to so many. And we pray for you to enjoy the surprise of divine merriment, beyond all our and all your imagining." He was warmly applauded by the mourners.
The Vard Sisters sang throughout the Mass, and towards the end Chris de Burgh also sang, standing beside the coffin. They, too, were applauded, but the greatest applause was for two of Dermot's sons, Don and Bobby. The two read poems for their father from the altar, and there was a chuckle from the congregation when Don said: "I hope you find that heaven is Doheny & Nesbitt's", his father's favourite pub.
His three sons, including four-year-old Ben, brought up Offertory gifts, which included their father's football jersey.
Finally Dermot himself was applauded as his remains left the grounds of the church for the crematorium in Glasnevin. The hearse was followed out of the grounds by his sons, his wife, Suzanne, his partner, Fiona, his brother, Paul, his sister, Denise, and other members of his family.
Politicians who had been at the receiving end of Dermot's humour were present. They included the Tanaiste, Ms Harney; the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell; former ministers Mr Michael Noonan TD and Mr Michael D. Higgins TD; and the former government press secretary, Mr P.J. Mara.
Also among the mourners were Mr Graham Linehan, one of the writers of the television series Father Ted, and the playwright, Mr Gerry Stembridge, who wrote much of Dermot's radio show Scrap Saturday. Pauline McLynn, Ardal O'Hanlon and Frank Kelly, all from Father Ted, were also at the church.
Also attending were the editor of Hot Press, Mr Niall Stokes; the director-general of RTE, Mr Bob Collins; and RTE's director of public affairs and former director of radio, Mr Kevin Healy.
See also Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, page 16, and Weekend