A route-lining party of 60 Air Corps troops yesterday saw the remains of Jack Lynch off from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, for his last journey home to Cork.
The hearse containing Mr Lynch's coffin left Hangar 3 in Baldonnel at 4.45 p.m. and turned right to ease its way through the route-lining party, under the command of Capt Justin Martin.
When the hearse reached the runway, an Air Corps bearer party removed the Tricolour-draped coffin from the back, raised it to their shoulders and marched slowly towards the Casa aircraft which would take Mr Lynch's coffin on the 40-minute journey to Cork. At the ramp leading into the back of the plane, Fr Tony O'Keefe, a native of Millstreet, Co Cork, and the chaplain at Clancy Barracks, stepped forward and blessed the coffin. The head chaplain of the Defence Forces, Mgr John Crowley, and the Air Corps chaplain, Fr Brendan Madden, stood either side of him. Mr Lynch's wife, Mairin, watched the proceedings from a car.
Near the plane stood the former Taoiseach's brother, Finbarr, and his sister Ms Eva Harvey. Alongside them stood the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, the Minister for Education, Mr Martin and the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Mr McDaid. They were joined by the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dan Wallace TD, and the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Mr David O'Callaghan. Also present were Mr Lynch's nephew, Capt Dan Harvey, of the Southern Brigade, Cork, and his wife, Mary, accompanied by their daughters Eva, Lynn and Mary Claire. The General Officer Commanding of the Air Corps, Brig Gen Patrick Cranfield, was also present. The plane left Casement Aerodrome at around 5.30 p.m., preceded by an Aer Lingus 737500 aircraft carrying the chief mourners.
Prayers for the late Mr Jack Lynch can be accessed on the Dublin diocese website: www.dublindiocese.ie Also included are the tributes paid to Mr Lynch by Dublin auxiliary bishops, Dr Eamonn Walsh and Dr Fiachra O Ceallaigh OFM.
