Northern Ireland today witnessed an outpouring of grief and affection for soccer legend George Best at his funeral ceremony in Stormont's Parliament Buildings.
About 300 family, friends and leading figures from the worlds of sport, entertainment and politicsgathered to pay tribute to the Manchester United and Northern Ireland soccer legend.
But there was also a remarkable send-off from tens of thousands of people on the streets of Belfast for the European Cup winning player, with applause accompanying the cortege along the three-mile journey from the Best family home on the Cregagh estate to Stormont.
Flowers and scarves were also thrown at the funeral cortege along the route.
About 32,000 people packed into the grounds of the Stormont estate to witness a piece of sporting history as George Best was given a funeral normally reserved for heads of state.
At the request of the family, 10 people were plucked from the crowd outside parliament Buildings to join a star-studded congregation of mourners.
The funeral procession for George Best's coffin leaves the Parliament Buildings in Stormont, Belfast.
A minute`s silence was held after the coffin arrived at the foot of Parliament Buildings, whose last funeral was that of Unionist Prime Minister Lord Craigavon in 1940.
The coffin was carried into Parliament Buildings by former Northern Ireland and Manchester United team-mates to the sound of a piper's lament.
Former Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham, international team-mates Derek Dougan, Peter McPartland, Harry Gregg, Gerry Armstrong and his close friend from the Manchester United squad Denis Law were the first to carry the coffin to the base of the Stormont steps.
Children from Best's childhood team Cregagh Rangers, formerly Cregagh Boys Club, dressed in their white kits, formed a guard of honour as members of the Best family including his father Dickie, son Calum and Calum`s mother, George's first wife Angie, followed behind.
The coffin was draped in a Northern Ireland flag as it entered the marbled Great Hall of Parliament Buildings carried by his son Calum and agent, Phil Hughes.
His father Dickie and sisters followed the coffin into the hall as Les Miserables star, Peter Corry sang Bring Him Home from the hit musical.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and England manager Sven Goran Eriksson joined Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism John O'Donoghue among the mourners.
Among the last people to take their seats were former Glasgow Celtic manager Martin O`Neill, ex-goalkeeper Pat Jennings and his fellow Arsenal star Frank McLintock who worked with George Best as a football pundit on Sky Sports.
Northern Ireland television personality Eamon Holmes welcomed the mourners to the funeral service and thanked the Best family for asking him to officiate at the ceremony.
Eamonn Holmes
"What mere mortal could do what he did on a pitch," Mr Holmes asked the star-studded assembled guests. "Today we celebrate his life," Mr Holmes said.
"In a country that often cannot rise above religion and politics, George Best did more than most to bring us together as people to make us recognise that may be there is more that unites us than divides us.
"He belonged to us all and today, more than ever, we want to show the world how delighted we are that he came from a country of just one and a half million people and became the best footballer the world has ever seen.
"George, we mourn your life cut short, but we are proud to welcome you home."
Among the mourners in the front row was Professor Roger Williams, the doctor who treated the football star during his final illness in London's Cromwell Hospital.
George Best's second wife, Alex, who went to live with him in the Co Down fishing village of Portavogie in Northern Ireland as he battled against alcoholism, joined mourners.