Galway

There were mixed reactions yesterday on the streets of Galway to the funeral of Princess Diana, although several people singled…

There were mixed reactions yesterday on the streets of Galway to the funeral of Princess Diana, although several people singled out Earl Spencer's eulogy for praise. Others declined to express any opinion about the funeral. Ms Nicola Coughlan from Galway city thought the British royal family "redeemed themselves" by their behaviour at the funeral.

"I thought the service was done very well," she said.

"There was no anger after the service, like there was during the week. It did a lot to save the feelings that occurred during the week.

"I think her brother's speech was the best part. He was like her; he said what he felt in the end. He didn't just stand there and say what was expected of him. He stood up and made a point.

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"Some people thought it wasn't the time or place to talk about the press again, or her eating disorders, or the sadness in her life. But he just stood up and said it like it was. It was a very good eulogy."

Mrs May Callaghan, a visitor from Florida, was "saddened" by what she described as the lack of emotion showed by members of the British royal family over the past week.

"I don't think they did her any honour by keeping quiet and then coming out a few days before she was buried," she said. She felt Prince William and Prince Harry should have come to London earlier in the week. "Her sons should have been with their mother in the church, that was their rightful place," she said.

Her daughter, Ms Trudy Horvath, said the eulogy given by Earl Spencer was very touching. "(Earl) Spencer's eulogy was right on. He said everything I would have said. The funeral itself was beautifully done, although I don't think Charles and Philip should have been walking with the boys and (Earl) Spencer. They should have walked behind. They were not chief mourners," she said.

Mr Michael Sibly from Melbourne in Australia, said he was not particularly moved by the funeral.

It had become a big media event, like so much else in her life. "We'd seen everything else in her life televised and in the newspapers. It was just part of it, really. I thought it was quite a good show," he said.

"It was hard to be really saddened because we're so used to hearing about it.

"I thought they should have talked a bit more about Mother Teresa. She was a great woman as well, and they haven't given her much attention in the media. She was a living saint," he said.