JOE BRUTON was a big man with big ideas who bettered the lives of beef farmers and sowed the seeds of leadership in his children, mourners were told last night at his removal in Dunboyne, Co Meath.
The large Church of St Peter and St Paul was packed to capacity with political figures, farm leaders, neighbours and friends who gathered to remember the prominent farmer who died on Friday, three days before his 100th birthday.
He is survived by his son John, the former Fine Gael leader and now EU ambassador to the United States; Richard, deputy leader of Fine Gael; and Mary, who runs a Montessori school in Dublin. Their mother Doris died three years ago.
Curate Fr Mark English told how Joe Bruton had been involved in building the parish church 50 years ago “so it’s good that we should take him back here this evening”.
Fr English, brother of Fine Gael deputy Damien English, was joined on the altar by the Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith, and parish priest Msgr Dermot Farrell. Fr English recalled how Mr Bruton whistled as he went down the farmyard to work and was dedicated to making the best possible use of his land.
“Joe was a big man with big ideas, while rooted in the common good but open to learning and progress, not for any selfish gain, but more as his Christian duty to do the best he could with the gifts that God had provided,” Fr English said.
As a progressive farmer, Mr Bruton had earned the respect of people from near and far.
“But it was at home, with you, Mary, John and Richard, that your dad sowed the seed of leadership,” Fr English said.
He encouraged his children to stand up and make a difference for others. “Joe was on your side,” he said.
Mr Bruton was prominent in the farmers’ rights campaigns in the mid-1960s and was chairman of the IFA national livestock committee in the early 1970s.
He was a weekly contributor to the Irish Farmers’ Journal for more than 25 years and was involved in numerous agricultural groups.
Among mourners present at the removal were Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan.
President Mary McAleese was represented by her aide-de-camp Capt Michael Larkin.
Senior Fine Gael figures included general secretary Tom Curran, party strategist Frank Flannery and former party leaders Alan Dukes and Michael Noonan.
Among the dozens of Fine Gael deputies were Phil Hogan, Charles Flanagan, Leo Varadkar, Alan Shatter, Denis Naughten, John Perry, Seymour Crawford and James Reilly.
Senators Paul Coghlan and Eugene Regan were present as were MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Avril Doyle.
Two former IFA presidents Tom Parlon and Alan Gillis were present as was IFA vice-president JJ Kavanagh, Meath IFA chairman Eddie Downey and former livestock chairman John Bryan.
Other mourners included Labour’s Joan Burton, Independent TD Finian McGrath, Ictu general secretary David Begg and broadcaster Vincent Browne.
Mr Bruton will be laid to rest at Rooske Cemetery, Dunboyne, today on what would have been his 100th birthday.
