The body of Mr Jack Lynch was yesterday brought to the Dublin church where he and his wife, Mairin, regularly worshipped. Representatives of church and State, Fianna Fail supporters, friends and neighbours from Rathgar, where he lived for many years, filled to overflowing the church of St Paul of the Cross in Harold's Cross, for a short ceremony.
The cortege, with the coffin draped in the Tricolour, arrived just after 7 p.m. to the sound of a single bell tolling. It was met by a bearer party of nine commandants from Army headquarters under the command of Lt Col Robert Fitzgerald. The bearer party, under the command of Lt C.S. Kelly, removed the coffin from the hearse and bore it into the church.
Earlier, in a private ceremony at the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, where Mr Lynch died on Wednesday, the body was borne by a military police party under the command of Company Sgt John Kelly. The cortege was then escorted to the church by 18 motorcyclists from the second cavalry squadron in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Rathmines, commanded by 2nd Lieut Deirdre O'Rourke.
The church ceremony featured hymns, prayers and gospel readings. Actor Niall Toibin, a fellow Corkman, read from the Epistle to the Romans. Dr Eamonn Walsh, Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, said Mrs Lynch had lost "a loving, wonderful and honourable husband", adding that it had been very sad for her and the other members of the family in recent years to see illness ebb away and drain the life "of one so noble and great". Describing Mr Lynch as honest and trustworthy, he added: "He was gifted with a wonderful hand by life, and he played it one hundred fold. He also epitomised what is best in sport."
The chief mourners were Mrs Lynch, Mr Lynch's sisters, Ms Eva Harvey and Ms Rena Dunne, and his brother Finbarr, along with nieces, nephews and cousins.
The President, Mrs McAleese, and her husband Martin, accompanied by her aide-de-camp, Col Bernie Howard, were welcomed by Father Anselen Keelehan, a member of the Passionist congregation.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, led the Cabinet, who included the Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods; the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue; the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen; the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey; the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid; the Minister for Education, Mr Martin; the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith; and the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
Among the mourners were former President Dr Patrick Hillery and his wife Maeve, and former Taoisigh Mr Liam Cosgrave and his daughter Ms Mary Cosgrave; Dr Garret FitzGerald, and Mr John Bruton and his wife Finola. The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, arrived accompanied by the former Progressive Democrats leader Mr Des O'Malley and his wife Pat. The Leas Ceann Comhairle of the Dail, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, was among the mourners, who also included Ms Liz O'Donnell, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Mr Seamus Brennan, Government chief whip; Mr Joe Jacob, Minister of State for Public Enterprise; Mr Tom Kitt, Minister of State for Enterprise and Employment; Mr Danny Wallace, Minister of State for Environment; and Mr Frank Murray, secretary to the Government.
Also there were the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt Gen David Stapleton; the Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Dr Gavin Broder; the Mexican ambassador, Mr Daniel Dultzin; the newest Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice John Murray; the president of the IFA, Mr Tom Parlon; and former EU Commissioner Mr Ray MacSharry.
A large number of Fianna Fail TDs attended including Mr Brendan Kenneally, Ms Mary Coughlan, Mr Ben Briscoe, Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn, Mr Pat Carey, Mr Dick Roche, Mr Noel Ahern, Mr Sean Power, Mr Michael O'Kennedy, Mr Michael Kitt, Mr Sean Ardagh, Mr Ivor Callely, Ms Mary Hanafin and Mr Mattie Brennan.
Fianna Fail senators Mr Mick Lanigan and Mr Liam Fitzgerald were among the mourners as were the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Jim Mitchell, and the deputy leader of the Labour party, Mr Brendan Howlin; former Fianna Fail ministers Dr Martin O'Donoghue and Mr Padraic Faulkner, and Mr Frank Dunlop, former Government press secretary.
The founder and first leader of the Progressive Democrats, Mr Desmond O'Malley, is expected to deliver the oration at Mr Lynch's graveside in St Finbarr's cemetery, Cork, tomorrow afternoon.
Mr O'Malley was a long-time close associate and friend of Mr Lynch, and served in government under him as Taoiseach in the 1968-1973 period and again during Mr Lynch's final period as Taoiseach in 1977-1979. Mr O'Malley was expelled from Fianna Fail in February 1985 and founded the Progressive Democrats in December that year, six years after Mr Charles Haughey succeeded Mr Lynch as Fianna Fail leader.