The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, has rebuked elements of the press for their criticism of the State funerals afforded the 10 Volunteers executed in Mountjoy Prison during the War of Independence.
Mr O'Donoghue was particularly critical of the Daily Mail in Britain and said the newspaper should ask itself what right the British government of the time had to try to suppress emerging Irish democracy with tactics now viewed with deep shame.
"The period is generally seen as a sad lapse in British standards of democracy and civilisation. One might have thought that some in the British media at least would have taken the occasion to regret and lament their own government's conduct of the Tan War, rather than criticise us for burying with honours the remains of prisoners whose lives were taken against all the rules of war," he said.
He pointed out that the same newspaper ran an editorial in 1919 describing the Volunteer action as a "mature, determined, national, disciplined and, above all, intelligent revolt".
Mr O'Donoghue also responded to the criticisms of commentators at home, describing them as "self-appointed guardians of the moral integrity of our nation who would have us abandon our patriots to others and engage in some form of mass amnesia".
The Minister was applauded repeatedly for his remarks, made during his oration at the graveside of Patrick Maher, the last of the 10 to be executed, who, in accordance with his final wish, was re-interred in Ballylanders Cemetery close to his home parish of Glenbrohane, Co Limerick on Saturday.
Patrick Maher was executed by court martial, following the failure of two juries to convict him of the murder of a policeman killed in an ambush staged to rescue captured Volunteer Sean Hogan in 1919. Maher always denied any involvement in the incident.
Mr O'Donoghue said there was no contradiction in "embracing, honouring and being proud of those patriots of the formative years of our nation and having pride today in being a citizen of this modern, self-confident, assertive and successful Ireland".
But he also stated firmly that there was no mandate for those who would invoke the names of Patrick Maher and his comrades to "assert the illusory vision of a forced unity" on this island.
The theme of the Minister's speech echoed that of the Archbishop of Cashel, Dr Dermot Clifford, who earlier at Requiem Mass, said the critics and revisionists had got their answer from the plain people of Ireland who had turned out in large numbers to show their support for the funerals.
Dr Clifford praised Patrick Maher's patriotism as a Christian virtue, demonstrated through his love of family, love of native place and local community and love of native land.
He said it was a pity there was not more evidence of what he called "practical patriotism" in modern Ireland.
"The percentage of people who vote in elections is falling in recent years.
"The percentage who join political parties and workers who join trade unions is similarly falling. It is more difficult to coax people to join voluntary bodies.
"That sense of community responsibility seems to be in decline."
But he warned that patriotism must not become narrow "to the point that it does not acknowledge the right of other people to have similar love and pride in their country and cultures and traditions"
The Mass was concelebrated with local clergy and attended by over 100 relatives of Patrick Maher.
These included his closest surviving relations, nephews Mr Paddy Quinlan, Mr Ned Quinlan and Mr Edmond Quinlan; nieces Mrs Teresa Long, Mrs Essie Thornton and Mrs Nellie Dee; grandnephews Mr Tom Quinlan and Mr Peter Thornton, and his grandniece, Ms Geraldine Quinlan.
Among the Government representatives were Mr O'Donoghue; the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera and the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Mr Willie O'Dea.
Many TDs, senators and MEPs from Munster also attended along with chairmen of local authorities in the province and the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Dick Sadlier.
The Taoiseach and the President were represented by their respective aides de camp, Captain Ger O'Grady and Captain Michael Treacy.
Comhaltas Ceolteoiri ╔ireann sang at the Mass and the band of the 1st Southern Brigade of the army played the lament and national anthem at the graveside.
The pall bearers and firing party were from the 12th Infantry Battalion of the Southern Brigade. The gardai and Limerick Prison officers were also represented.