Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has cut short his visit to the United State for St Patrick’s Day following the death of his mother.

Mai Flanagan died on Sunday in a nursing home in Mountmellick Co Laois. The widow of long-serving Fine Gael TD Oliver J Flanagan, she was in her 93rd year.

Mr Flanagan was in Toronto over the weekend for the St Patrick's Day activities in the city ahead of travelling to New York. He flew home from Boston Airport overnight after making a connecting flight from the Canadian city.

Minister for Arts, Sports and Heritage Heather Humphreys, who was in London, has departed for New York where she will deputise for Mr Flanagan for the rest of the visit.

On Monday, she is meeting former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who is also the front-runner to be the Democratic candidate in the presidential election.

“I’m very pleased and privileged to be visiting New York in place of Minister Flanagan. New York is one of the great cities of the world, and also one which has proven to be a welcoming home for the Irish diaspora over the years,” said Ms Humphreys.

Mrs Flanagan is survived by her son Charlie and three daughters, Maria, Grace and Maeve. The funeral mass took place at noon on Monday at St Joseph's Church, Mountmellick.

Her body is being donated to medical research in accordance with her wishes.