Ronan Tynan sang to George HW Bush in final hours

President reportedly mouthed the words to Silent Night as Irish tenor sang

A portrait of George HW Bush hangs near the registry at the George HW Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. Photograph: EPA
A portrait of George HW Bush hangs near the registry at the George HW Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. Photograph: EPA

Irish tenor Ronan Tynan sang to the former US President George HW Bush during his final hours.

The tenor sang Silent Night and a Gaelic song, according to The New York Times.

Mr Bush, the 41st president of the United States died at his home in Houston on Friday night, aged 94.

James A Baker, former secretary of state and friend told the newspaper as Mr Tynan sang Silent Night “believe it or not, the president was mouthing the words”.

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Mr Baker said Mr Tynan called on Friday to ask if he could drop by and when he showed up Mr Bush's former chief-of-staff Jean Becker asked him to sing to the president.

Mr Bush had a form of Parkinson’s disease that forced him to use a wheelchair or motorized scooter in recent years, and he had been in and out of hospitals during that time as his health declined.

His death, which was announced by his office, came less than eight months after that of his wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush.

Mr Tynan sang the Irish national anthem before Katie Taylor’s defence of her world titles in Boston in October.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times