JOURNALIST AND broadcaster Mary Raftery was remembered at her funeral as “a voice for the voiceless” and her profession’s “finest exemplar” at her funeral yesterday.
A large number of abuse victims were among the big crowd at the humanist ceremony, which had been prepared by Ms Raftery herself, and took place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.
Her husband David Waddell said his was “a command performance. She asked that I speak and, slightly witheringly, said – if you’re able to!” Following the publicity on her death, he felt “we must concentrate on her flaws. It is important for balance.”
He said she couldn't cook for nuts and had even burnt a boiled egg; she was a dreadful gardener and played pool viciously. She was also a great supporter of the Leinster rugby team. He recalled she drew inspiration from ideas rooted in "socialism, social democracy, human rights, human dignity", and from Primo Levi's book If This is a Man, about surviving in a German concentration camp.
Her idea was "to be a voice for the voiceless" and those who needed support in pursuit of justice. In this she faced opposition from institutions, "including RTÉ", in the preparation of the 1999 States of Fearseries. There was "little support" for Mary or her colleague Sheila Ahern then, which had "direct adverse health consequences for both of them".
He said “with friends and family we will overcome this agony”.
Sheila Ahern also spoke of the difficulties both faced at RTÉ in getting States of Fearbroadcast.
“At one stage Mary said to me ‘we’re going’ – I said ‘where?’ and she said ‘we’re packing tapes and all and we are going home’. She was absolutely determined to leave taking the transmission tapes and not coming back. Luckily there were phone call negotiations . . .” She concluded: “I have lost my best friend but she’ll never be far from my heart.”
Niece Isolde Raftery said her aunt “loved children and, growing up, she treated us all as adults”.
Friend and colleague Irish Timesjournalist Fintan O'Toole said: "Irish society was blessed to have her courage and integrity and Irish journalism was blessed to have in her its finest exemplar of the ways in which a sometimes grubby business can yet immensely enrich a democracy . . .
“Those of us who were her friends are blessed to have shared, in however small a way, in a life that will not be extinguished while the dream of justice lives in our hearts,” he said.
Chief mourners were Mary’s husband David, their son Ben, her mother Ita, sister Iseult and brothers Adrian and Iain. Captain Emmet Harney represented President Michael D Higgins, with Cmdt Mick Treacy representing Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Government Ministers in attendance included Pat Rabbitte, Joan Burton, Róisín Shortall and Joe Costello.
Abuse victims present included John Kelly, Carmel McDonnell-Byrne, Michael O’Brien, Colm O’Gorman, Dr Margaret Kennedy, Mannix Flynn, Paddy Doyle, Don Baker, Marie Collins, Andrew Madden and Darren McGavin, whose evidence led to former priest Tony Walsh being jailed for 16 years.
RTÉ was represented by director general Noel Curran, head of news and current affairs Ed Mulhall, head of corporate communications Kevin Dawson, former director general Cathal Goan and former head of religious programmes Fr Dermod McCarthy. Among the large numbers from RTÉ were broadcasters Miriam O’Callaghan, Mary Wilson, Joe Duffy, Marian Richardson, and Cathal Poirtéir.
Among those from The Irish Timeswere Editor Kevin O'Sullivan and managing editor Paddy Smyth.
Also present were Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly, Alex White TD, Fiach Mac Conghail of the Abbey theatre and actor Lorcan Cranitch, who performed in Raftery’s 2010 play No Escape.
Later the wicker coffin was carried outside by Sheila Ahern, Sheila De Courcy, Mary’s sister Iseult, niece Isolde, Pauline Waddell and niece Deirdre Roycroft.
