LARGE CROWDS of mourners are expected in the Tyrone village of Ballygawley today for the funeral of Michaela Harte, daughter of the county’s senior football manager Mickey Harte.
She was murdered last week while on honeymoon in Mauritius and her death has sparked an outpouring of shock and sympathy for the Harte family and for her husband John McAreavey, who she married just 11 days before she was killed.
Many hundreds have attended the wake at the Harte family home with senior political and clerical figures among them.
Such has been the public response that park-and-ride facilities, temporary marquees, lighting and a host of other arrangements have been put in place by dozens of volunteer stewards mostly from the GAA in Tyrone.
The requiem Mass is scheduled to begin at St Malachy’s Church in nearby Ballymacilroy at 12.30pm.
The lead concelebrant and homilist will be Bishop of Dromore Dr John McAreavey who is an uncle of the deceased’s husband.
Among the concelebrants will be patron of the GAA, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly Dr Dermot Clifford; Mgr Eoin Thynne, head chaplain of the Defence Forces; the Rev Aidan Hamill, vicar general of the Diocese of Dromore, local parish priest Fr Michael Seery and Fr Gerard McAleer, a close family friend of the Hartes and a former senior management figure in Tyrone GAA.
The Catholic primate, Cardinal Seán Brady, will also attend as will the Church of Ireland bishop of Down and Dromore Dr Harold Miller.
President Mary McAleese will attend as will a host of elected representatives from a range of parties.
DUP leader Peter Robinson has visited the wake along with three senior colleagues, Stormont Ministers Nelson McCausland and Arlene Foster, and Lord [Maurice] Morrow.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen will be represented at the Mass by his ADC.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the Fermanagh South Tyrone MP and Assembly member Michelle Gildrenew along with West Tyrone MP and Assembly member Pat Doherty will also attend.
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie will be accompanied by Assembly members Dr Alasdair McDonnell and Patsy McGlone.
The Ulster Unionists will be represented by deputy leader John McCallister and his Assembly colleague Basil McCrea along with party candidate Mike Nesbitt. Party leader Tom Elliott has already visited the house to offer his sympathies personally to the family.
Guards of honour will be formed by local GAA club Errigal Ciarán, which Mickey Harte used to manage, by members of the Tullylish club in Co Down where the deceased’s husband plays football and by pupils of St Patrick’s in Dungannon where Michaela Harte taught Irish and religious education.
GAA president Christy Cooney and Ulster secretary Danny Murphy will be joined by the president of the Ulster rugby branch Nigel Hamilton and Irish Football Association president Jim Shaw.
Michaela Harte will be buried after the Mass in the adjoining cemetery where many of her relatives are interred.