Hundreds of senior business people as well as politicians and members of the legal profession attended the removal of Mr Niall Crowley in Dublin last night. Mr Crowley (72), a well-known businessman, played a leading role in the merger which led to the formation of the accountancy firm Stokes Kennedy Crowley, now KPMG. He died after a long illness.
His brother Father Roderick Crowley, who received the remains at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, told the congregation that the presence of such a large number was testament to the way he had touched the lives of so many people.
The removal, he added, was really a celebration of his life and the many gifts he had brought to so many people in different facets of life. "There was a perpetual youth about him," he said, "so we don't have to say he lived to a ripe old age."
Mr Crowley is understood to have been ill for about four years and Father Crowley said: "Sometimes one's attitude to illness says a great deal about that person. Niall's reaction to it was extraordinary. He didn't deny it, he faced the reality of it, but he chose to ignore it and not be overcome by it."
The chief mourners were Mr Crowley's wife Una, five sons and one daughter, and his brothers and sister.
Former colleagues in attendance included Mr Alex Spain, formerly managing partner at SKC and Mr Jerome Kennedy, currently managing partner of KPMG.
Mr Crowley was a former chairman of Allied Irish Banks, a position he held for 12 years. AIB representatives included Mr Tom Mulcahy, chief executive AIB, and Mr Gerry Scanlan, former chief executive and his wife Nora. Also attending was AIB executive director Mr Michael Buckley.
The former chairman of PJ Carroll & Co and former governor of the Bank of Ireland, Mr Don Carroll was also in attendance as was Bank of Ireland chief executive Mr Maurice Keane.
Politicians who attended the removal included Fine Gael leader and former Taoiseach Mr John Bruton, former Taoiseach Dr Garrett FitzGerald; Progressive Democrat TD Mr Dessie O'Malley and former Fianna Fail senator Mr Brian Hillery.
Representatives from the judiciary included Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Hugh O'Flaherty, Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen of the High Court, and former Chief Justice Mr Tom Finlay.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce was represented by its chief executive, Mr Noel Carroll. Mr Crowley was president of the Chamber in 1983, during the organisation's bicentenary.
Representatives from the media included broadcaster Mr John Bowman, deputy chairman of Independent Newspapers Mr John Meagher and Mr Vincent Jennings, Irish Press Plc chairman.
Others in attendance included Professor Brendan Walshe, Professor of Economics at UCD. The funeral takes place this morning after 11 a.m. mass.
