The President, Mrs McAleese, and her husband, Martin, were among hundreds of people who yesterday attended the funeral Mass of Mrs Breda Mara, the wife of the former government press secretary, Mr P.J. Mara, in St Theresa's Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin.
A family friend of the Maras, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Walton Empey, led the tributes for the life of Mrs Mara "and for the joy she had brought into the lives of so many, including her husband and son, John".
The funeral Mass was celebrated by Father Tom Stack and concelebrated by Father Enda McDonagh and Father Dermod McCarthy, while Mr Declan Brogan, Ms Anne Egan, Ms Marian O'Sullivan and Ms Bernadette Monks did the readings.
Ms O'Sullivan said Mrs Mara, who had endured a battle for years against cancer, had been "a truly loving wife, a woman of true beauty, in looks and personality.
"In the kindness and respect she showed to all she met, she reflected the beauty of the world as it should be."
The attendance also included Mrs Maureen Haughey, the wife of the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles J. Haughey, and her daughter, Mrs Emer Mulhearn; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, Senator Martin Mansergh; the Irish Ambassador to Paris, Mr Paddy McKernan, and the former secretary in the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Padraig O hUiginn.
The congregation also included the former Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, the businessman, Mr Oliver Barry, and the builder, Mr Michael Bailey. Mr Denis O'Brien also attended, as well as the former minister for foreign affairs, Mr Michael O'Kennedy, the former minister for defence, Mr Vincent Brady, and the chief executive of the Irish Nationwide Building Society, Mr Michael Fingleton.
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Noel Treacy, Senator Joe O'Toole, Senator Shane Ross, the Fianna Fáil Carlow-Kilkenny TD, Mr John McGuinness, the Minister of State, Mr Ivor Callely, and the former Fianna Fail Wexford TD, Mr Seamus Cullimore, were also present.
Mrs Mara was buried later in Kinvara, Co Galway.