The President, Mrs Robinson, led mourners at the state funeral yesterday of Sgt John Lynch, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Lebanon last week. Sgt Lynch was buried with full military honours in St Conleth's Cemetery outside Newbridge, Co Kildare, after Mass at Cill Mhuire Church at Ballymanny.
His widow, Rosario, and two children, Christina (11) and Scott (9), were joined by hundreds of his Army colleagues, other relatives, friends and sympathisers.
Sgt Lynch's father, John, a former Army sgt major, his mother, Marie, and sisters, Maria, Gabrielle and Aileen, and his brother, Alan, an officer in the Armoured Car Squadron at the Curragh, were accompanied by Private Peadar Kennedy, Sgt Lynch's brother-in-law, who returned from Lebanon for the funeral.
The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Laurence Ryan, presided at the Mass.
The Ballymanny chaplain, Father Tom Lalor, said the congregation was conscious of Sgt Lynch's four Italian comrades who died in the same accident.
He said Sgt Lynch had been "very dedicated to his wife and family", was keenly interested in sport and "above all completely dedicated to his profession".
Irish soldiers had earned a reputation abroad as being "builders of peace", Father Lalor said, and he was reminded of the description of a soldier by former UN secretary general, Dag Hammerskjold. "Smiling, sincere, incorruptible . . . A man will become what he could and was what he was, ready at any moment to gather everything into one simple sacrifice."
Christina and Scott Lynch carried their parents' wedding album and a red rose to the altar for the offertory procession. Other offerings included a plaque dedicated to him by Italair, the Italian helicopter unit operating the routine night flight.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was represented by his aide-de-camp, Capt Maurice McQuillan. Also attending were the Italian ambassador, Mr Fernandino Zezza; the Minister for Defence, Mr Andrews, and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut-Gen Gerry McMahon.
The Defence Forces were also represented by the Adjutant General, Maj Gen Bill Dwyer; the Quartermaster General, Maj Gen Patrick Nowlan; the GOC Curragh Command, Brig Gen Frank Colclough; the GOC Western Command, Brig Gen John Martin, and the GOC Southern Command, Brig Gen David Taylor.
The British military attache to Ireland, Col Sean Lamb, also attended. The Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, was represented by Assistant Commissioner Hugh Sreenan.
Two Italian soldiers who had been abducted by Hizbullah guerrillas in Lebanon with Sgt Lynch last June flew from Italy for the funeral. Lieut Massimo Bandini and Warrant Officer Guiseppe Caverretta were accompanied by a third Italian officer and friend of Sgt Lynch's, Capt Luca Fagherazzi.
Mrs Lynch spoke briefly at the end of the service about her husband. "Until we meet again, God speed and I love you."