Across:
1 Opens 11 down (opens ‘state funeral’ = STATE-) for some leading (‘Some’ leading = -S) (STATES) union members (STATES in the union of The United States),
4 Crab (female crab = HEN) finds Labour (Labour PARTY) (HEN PARTY) is no place for the men (HEN PARTY),
9 A subtle difference (NUANCE) to new Irish (Irish ‘new” = NUA-) Nationalist (-N-) from Clare (-CE) (NUANCE),
10 The ultimate put-downs (FUNERALS) by 11 down finishing (‘state funeral’ finishing = FUNERAL-) the point (compass point South = -S) (FUNERALS),
12 Ruined (= anagram indicator) recent pie? (recent pie = EPICENTRE) You can’t get more shocking than that! (EPICENTRE),
13 Turns up (= reversal indicator), most of (e) the space (‘hole’ without ‘e’ = hol = -LOH-) taken up by non-drinkers (A-A) (ALOHA) is for greeting overseas party (ALOHA),
14 Produces rocky road, for one (CONFECTIONER), if no concrete (if no concrete = CONFECTIONER) ordered (= anagram indicator),
18 Picture (SELF-PORTRAIT) what only you are capable of, you poser (SELF-PORTRAIT),
21 It’s stretching the truth to say (LYING) Bob has no part in lobbying (‘Bob’ has no part in ‘lobbying’ = lying = LYING),
22 Avoids shop for Cubans (NON-SMOKER avoids shop for Cuban cigars) and the one that doesn’t cure the meat (NON-SMOKER),
24 Loudspeaker’s (high frequency loudspeakers = TWEETERS) overly sentimental (TWEE-) period (term) cut short (m) (‘term’ without ‘m’ = -TER-) at school (-S) (TWEETERS),
25 Reading material (SCROLL) for barman (Senior Counsel = SC-) on the breakfast bar (-ROLL) (SCROLL),
26 Crafty (sly = S-LY) about mode of transport (-CAR-) going to Clare? (-CE-) (SCARCELY) Hardly! (SCARCELY),
27 Hurt (PAINED) added a touch of colour (painted) without effect at the foundation (‘effecT’ at the foundation = ‘t’) (‘painted’ without ‘t’ = PAINED).
Down:
1 This is one (SENTENCE) for life, for instance (life SENTENCE),
2 Nags (nags/horses = ARABIANS) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves presumably (ARABIANS from the story collection “The Arabian Nights’ Entertainment”),
3 Try to get out of the cemetery (‘try’ to get out of the ‘cemetery’ = cemee = EMCEE) by going across the public address system (EMCEE),
5 Essence (EAU DE COLOGNE) found in Spain (E-), French department (French department = Aude = -AU DE-) and in Germany (COLOGNE) (EAU DE COLOGNE),
6 Most of (e) the beer (‘ale’ without ‘e’ = -AL-) in hamper (hamper = PREV-ENT) (PREVALENT) could be the usual (PREVALENT),
7 Briefly (d) study (‘read’ without ‘d’ = REA-) issue (issue/offspring = -SON) (REASON) with some common sense (REASON),
8 First to yell (first to ‘Yell’ = Y-) out (= anagram indicator) names (names = -ES-MAN) (YES-MAN) for stooge (YES-MAN),
11 A stiff Government ceremony organised by one involved in a plot? (STATE FUNERAL) Give voice to (STATE) this grave concern! (FUNERAL) (STATE FUNERAL),
15 Endless (y) enthusiasm (‘energy’ without ‘y’ = ENERG-), etc., (ET-C) swallowing one (-I-) (ENERGETIC) type of bubbly (ENERGETIC),
16 Put your money on the Ulster team (back Down = BACKDOWN) to give up (BACKDOWN),
17 Launched (started = START-ED) around the far side of Canaveral (the far side of ‘canaveraL’ = -L-) (STARTLED) – surprised? (STARTLED),
19 Odd (= anagram indicator) lapse (lapse = PLA-ES) over time (-T-) (PLATES) in China (PLATES),
20 Shows pictures (CINEMA) of mine (mine = -INEM-) engineer (= anagram indicator) in California (C-A) (CINEMA),
23 Dug up (= reversal indicator) in elegiac cemetery (in ‘elegiAC CEMetery’ = accem = MECCA) in holy city (MECCA).