Seán Loftus laid to rest in Dublin

Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen led the mourners today at the funeral of environmental campaigner and politician Seán Loftus.

Fr Cormac McIlraith was the chief celebrant at a concelebrated Mass at St Gabriel's Church, in Dollymount, north Dublin. He was buried later in St Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton.

Mr Loftus, a former TD and lord mayor of Dublin, died in Dublin on Saturday aged 82. For a time, during a long career, he changed his name by deed poll to Sean Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus.

The large attendance at the funeral included colleagues from his many years as a member of Dublin City Council, environmentalists and his neighbours in Clontarf where he was a popular figure.

President Mary McAleese was represented by her aide-de-camp Cmdt Michael Walsh and Taoiseach Brian Cowen by his aide-de-camp Cmdt Michael Treacy.

The chief mourners were Mr Loftus's wife, Una, daughters Muireann and Fiona, and son Ruairi.

In a tribute to her late father, Muireann told mourners that her father was respected for the fact that nothing he did in his public life was motivated by personal gain.

"And because of all of this, he has touched our hearts and our lives,'' she added. "But above all, we, his family remember him as a kind and loving husband and father.''