The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and politicians from parties north and south were among the large attendance at the removal of the remains of former Fine Gael TD and Cabinet minister Mr Jim Mitchell in Dublin last night.
St Joseph's Church in Terenure was packed for the short service, which was also attended by the former Taoiseach, Mr John Bruton TD, the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny TD, the leader of the SDLP Mr Mark Durkan, and the former SDLP leader and MEP, Mr John Hume.
With Cardinal Connell presiding, the parish priest of Terenure, Mgr John Greehy, said he was receiving the remains of a "truly loyal parishioner and supporter of the church", who had borne a "lingering and painful illness" with great courage.
He praised Mr Mitchell as someone who had "remained selfless in what has become a covetous society". As Dublin's youngest Lord Mayor, a minister for justice, transport and commerce, and finally as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Mitchell had left behind an "outstanding" record of public service.
Mgr Greehy said he wished to echo "the words of one public commentator, who said that Mr Mitchell was a man who was not in public life for the money".
The Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Raymond Field, recited a decade of the Rosary - the Glorious Mystery of the Resurrection - which had been "specifically requested" by Mr Mitchell. Mgr Greehy also said the selected Gospel reading, the Beatitudes, "chose itself" as one of the deceased's favourite passages of scripture. The Beatitudes were recited by a family friend, the parish priest of Darndale, Father William Fitzpatrick, who will be chief celebrant at today's funeral Mass.
Mr Mitchell's wife Patsy and his children Ruairí, Sinéad, Neil, Aoife, and Caitríona were chief mourners in an attendance described by Mgr Greehy as "the largest I've seen at a funeral in my 20 years here".
They were joined by the deceased's brothers Jack, Davy and Gay, and his sisters Hazel, Marie, Patsy and Jackie B.
The President, Mrs McAleese, was represented by her aide-de-camp. Politicians attending also included the Minister for Health, Mr Martin; the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, Dr Rory O'Hanlon; the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Dermot Lacey; former Tánaiste Mr Dick Spring; and Ministers of State Mr Brian Lenihan and Mr Willie O'Dea.
The former leader of Fine Gael, Mr Michael Noonan TD, was one of a large number of Fine Gael politicians, past and present, in the church. These also included former European Commissioner Mr Dick Burke, and former minister for the Gaeltacht, Mr Tom O'Donnell; as well as MEP Ms Mary Banotti; former justice minister Ms Nora Owen; Mr Richard Bruton TD; Mr Jim O'Keeffe TD; Senator Michael Finucane; Mr Simon Coveney TD; Senator Brian Hayes; Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD; Mr Tom Hayes TD; Mr Dinny McGinley TD; Mr Bernard Durkan TD; Mr Austin Currie; Mr Padraig McCormack TD; and former Lord Mayor Mr Alexis Fitzgerald
The editor of The Irish Times, Ms Geraldine Kennedy, and the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell, were among the attendance, which also included the former Dublin city manager Mr Frank Feely; businessman Mr Ulick McEvaddy; and another long-time friend of the deceased, Mr Tommy Morris.
Other former and serving politicians included Mr Michael Mulcahy TD and Mr John Ardagh TD (both Fianna Fáil); Mr Eamon Gilmore TD and Cllr Eric Byrne (both Labour); Cllr Nicky Kehoe and Cllr Christy Burke (both Sinn Féin).
The requiem Mass will be at 12 o'clock today followed by interment at Mount Venus Cemetery, Rockbrook, Rathfarnham.
