THERE were many tributes last night to Christina Murphy, duty editor of The Irish Times, editor of the Education and Living supplement, and one of the foremost experts on Irish education, who died yesterday morning.
A spokesperson for the President, Mrs Robinson, said that she was personally very saddened and had sent a message to Ms Murphy's family.
The Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, said that the consumer of Irish education had lost a real friend. "Christina passionately believed the Irish education system was for all," she said.
The Fianna Fail education spokesman, Mr Micheal Martin, said that she was "irreplaceable" in Irish journalism.
Ms Mary O'Rourke, the deputy leader of Fianna Fail and a former minister for education, described Ms Murphy as "a woman of intelligence, courage, optimism and generosity of spirit".
Senator Joe O'Toole, the general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), said that she had been a mould breaker who had shown quite extraordinary courage.
In spite of an underlying serious illness for several years, Ms Murphy had lived a very full and normal life, both professionally and privately.
Born near Castlebar, Co Mayo, she was educated locally and read history and politics at UCD. She edited Young Citizen magazine before joining The Irish Times as woman's editor in 1972. She later became education correspondent.
She is survived by her husband, RTE news executive Dermot Mullane, their son, Eric, and her parents, Mr and Mrs Thomas Murphy.
The removal is from St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin to Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh, arriving at 5 p.m. tomorrow. The funeral, following an ecumenical service at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, will be to St Fintan's Cemetery in Sutton.