An out-of-service Dublin bus yesterday carried mourners to the burial of fruit seller Esther McAuliffe (née Irwin), in a fitting tribute for a Dublin icon.
The bus passed Esther’s stall at the corner of Marlborough and North Earl Streets, where she sold fruit for more than 30 years.
Her final day of work was last Monday, July 14th. She died at home the following day at age 66.
The funeral Mass was in Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Seán McDermott Street and was followed by her burial at Shanganagh Cemetery.
Monica Keenan, who works at the Confession Box Pub near the fruit stall, said the church was “absolutely packed” for the “beautiful ceremony”.
"She was a character. Everyone loved her. We all sang Molly Malone in the graveyard as a last tribute to her," she said.
Esther and her sister Betty had taken over the fruit stall from their mother decades ago. Betty died five years ago.
Customer Gemma King said Betty’s death was a heartbreak for Esther. “She never really got over it.”
Gemma described the fruit-selling sisters as “good at a party”.
“No matter what the weather was like, she [Esther] was always a good humoured and good spirited person.
“She knew everyone, and everyone knew her. She’ll never die.”