Restaurateur Seán Kinsella (81), who died on Monday, “cooked his first meal at the age of seven from the top of a butter box” in the family’s Co Clare home, his son Andrew said yesterday. He was “a pioneer” where food in Ireland was concerned and the Mirabeau restaurant, which he and his wife, Audrey, opened in 1974 at Sandycove in Dublin, had been “an instant success”.

Mr Kinsella was speaking at his father’s funeral Mass in St Anne’s Church, Shankill, Co Dublin.

His father also had “a huge passion for sport . . . he followed the Dubs all over the country” and would cook for the Dublin team.

'No cheese board'
The late Mr Kinsella also "raised over £1 million for charity", and his son recalled a story his father told of how, after he had cooked for 700 destitute people at the Mansion House, a man came up to him and complained that "there was no cheese board" .

It was, said Mr Kinsella, the sort of Dublin humour his father enjoyed.

“Family meant everything to Dad. He adored Mom,” he said. He concluded with something his father told a US interviewer about how a man who works with his hands is a labourer. “A man who works with his head and his hands is a professional, and a man who works with his head, his hands and his heart is an artist.”

Seán Kinsella’s other son, Stephen, remembered his father as a passionate supporter of Andrew and himself at hockey. “He was my one-man Hill 16.” His father “managed 10 lifetimes in his 81 years”, he said, adding that they “were truly blessed to grow up in such a loving environment”.

Mass celebrant Fr John O’Connor said Seán Kinsella was “an extraordinarily creative person, charismatic in many ways”. He had “many friends, knew many important people” but, addressing the family, said “the most important were the three of you”. Singing was by soprano Kay Lynch with Ronan Murray on the organ. Burial was at St Fintan’s Cemetery, Sutton.

Chief mourners were Seán Kinsella’s wife, Audrey, sons Andrew and Stephen, and granddaughter Tara.