The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has forcefully condemned the violence which occurred in the city last Saturday.
Dr Martin was delivering the homily at a Requiem Mass in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral for the late Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Williams.
"I join the calls made for all to publicly distance themselves from such violence. Such senseless violence is not the way to build our Ireland of the future. Such senseless violence will not break down the barriers of history," he said.
"There is something frightening in seeing organised violence on our streets, in seeing young people urged on by anonymous faces to show hatred and disrespect for others. There can be nothing farther from the message of the gospel."
Dr Martin continued: "I do not think I would be wrong in saying that he [ Dr Williams] would have been appalled by the sort of violence that appeared on our streets on Saturday last, just yards away from the Pro- Cathedral. He worked for a better, more just, more tolerant, more respectful society."
The Requiem Mass was concelebrated by Dr Martin, the Catholic primate Archbishop Seán Brady, and the Apostolic Administrator to Ferns diocese and Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Dr Éamonn Walsh.
Dr Williams (75), who retired due to ill-health in December 1993, died suddenly at the Holy Family residence on Roebuck Road, Dublin, last Friday.
Chief mourners last night were his brother Kieran, sisters-in-law Dina and Marie, nieces and nephews.
Among the large number of clergy presiding were Cardinal Desmond Connell; papal nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto; and the following bishops: Dr Ray Field, Dr Fiachra Ó Ceallaigh; Dr Dermot O'Mahony; Dr Jim Moriarty; Dr Donal Murray; Dr Patrick Walsh; Dr Joseph Duffy; Dr Bill Murphy; Dr Philip Boyce and Dr John Fleming.
Among the attendance were President McAleese's aide-de camp Capt Mick Treacy; Taoiseach Bertie Ahern; Government secretary general Dermot McCarthy; Department of Education secretary general John Dennehy; former minister for education Dr Michael Woods, and the former secretary general at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Donal Nevin. Dr Williams will be buried at Cruagh Cemetery, Rathfarnham, this morning.