Crowds pay final respects to former taoiseach

Mourners queue in Dublin to sign book of condolence as Albert Reynolds lies in repose

A member of the public pays their final respects to former taoiseach Albert Reynolds as his body lies in state in the Oak Room at the Mansion House, Dublin, before his funeral on Monday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
A member of the public pays their final respects to former taoiseach Albert Reynolds as his body lies in state in the Oak Room at the Mansion House, Dublin, before his funeral on Monday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The body of former taoiseach Albert Reynolds is today lying in repose in Dublin's Mansion House.

Some 500 mourners queued on Dawson Street to file past the coffin and sign books of condolence. The Oak Room of the mansion house is open to the public from 1pm to 6pm today.

The room was closed to the public from 12pm to 1pm for members of the former taoiseach’s family to pay their respects.

Mourners file past former Irish taoiseach Albert Reynolds as he lies in repose at the Mansion House, Dublin, today. Photograph: Julien Behal/EPA
Mourners file past former Irish taoiseach Albert Reynolds as he lies in repose at the Mansion House, Dublin, today. Photograph: Julien Behal/EPA

Mourners who came to see Mr Reynolds lying in repose included Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea and GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

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Former Fianna Fáil minister Noel Dempsey credited Mr Reynolds for his start in politics.

“What can I say? I’m saying goodbye to a friend. I worked with him; on a personal level, he was always very good to me. He gave me my first start. He appointed me the first time I was in government.

“As a public figure he always got on with the job, and what you saw was what you got. The private man was exactly the same. It’s very sad.”

TR Dallas, a friend of Mr Reynolds from both the music business and politics, said he had known the former taoiseach since his ballroom days, calling him “a great family man”.

“People used to say he was a bit of a goer – if he decided he was going to do something, he went and did it…He did an awful lot for this country in a very short time. He was down to earth and never forgot where he came from. He was one in a million,” he said.

Gerry Fallon of Portumna, Co Galway, traveled to the capital and queued outside Mansion House for nearly an hour to see Mr Reynolds’s body lying in repose. “He did an awful lot for peace. I’d say he was one of the best taoiseachs, in my opinion, ever. He was a very honest man. A real Irishman.”

Mourner Brendan Land of Ballinteer, Dublin, said: “I was hugely impressed with the close relationship between [Albert Reynolds] and John Major. He laid the foundations of the peace process, and we should be very grateful for that.”

The body of Mr Reynolds will be removed to Sacred Heart Church, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, at 7.10 this evening for a mass.

The State funeral will be held on Monday at Sacred Heart Church, followed by the burial at Shanganagh Cemetery in Shankill.

Books of condolence are available to sign at all Government buildings, Houses of the Oireachtas, Fianna Fáil headquarters and many other locations. There is also an online book of condolence which members of the public can sign at the Department of the Taoiseach website: taoiseach.gov.ie