THE REMOVAL took place in Cork city last night of the youngest daughter of Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin.
Léana Martin (7) who suffered from a heart condition, died at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London last Friday with Mr Martin and his wife, Mary, and their family at her bedside.
The Martins lost another child, Ruairí, when he was just an infant some 10 years ago. Yesterday evening, Mr and Mrs Martin and their children, Micheál Aodh (16), Aoibhe, (14) and Cillian (10) were joined by hundreds wishing to pay their last respects to the little girl.
A respectful silence fell as the family emerged from O’Connor’s Funeral Home, Temple Hill, carrying Léana’s white coffin and bringing it to the waiting hearse.
Among the many mourners were Mr Martin’s brothers, Cllr Seán Martin and Pádraig Martin as well as sisters, Eileen and Mairéad. Among those to pay their respects were many of Mr Martin’s Cabinet colleagues including Taoiseach Brian Cowen, his wife Mary as well as Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.
Also present were Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív.
Minister for Health Mary Harney, accompanied by husband Brian Geoghegan, also came to express her sympathies as did former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Attorney General Paul Gallagher also attended as did Minister for Community, Arts and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey.
Among the many Fianna Fáil TDs to attend was Mr Martin’s constituency colleague Michael McGrath and other Cork TDs Ned O’Keeffe and Noel O’Flynn.
Earlier, Léana’s friends from first class at Our Lady of Lourdes primary school, Ballinlough, came to pay their respects. Léana will be buried at St Finbarr’s Cemetery in Cork today following Requiem Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Ballinlough, at 11.30am.