President Mary McAleese has led thousands of mourners at the removal of former taoiseach Charles J Haughey (80) at Our Lady of Consolation Church at Donnycarney, Dublin.
Mr Haughey's remains were taken from his beloved Abbeville estate at Kinsealy in north Dublin this morning and escorted by Garda and military outriders to the church a few miles away.
With precision timing, the funeral cortege swept down the Malahide Road and into the car park of the church at 11am preceded by 18 motorcycle outriders from the 2nd Cavalry Squadron, Cathal Brugha Barracks. A private removal ceremony for the family then took place in the mortuary chapel.
The main ceremony was held in the church this evening.
This morning, gardaí stopped traffic as the hearse, followed by two mourning cars and Garda outriders, pulled into the car park beside the small side chapel. A small group of onlookers watched in silence and some took pictures of the hearse, with the coffin inside draped in a tricolour.
Mr Haughey's four children Conor, Eimear, Ciarán and Seán emerged from the first funeral car and lined up beside it while the coffin was carried from the hearse by a party of pallbearers from the 2nd Field Military Police. They greeted Mr Haughey's surviving sister Maureen, before going inside the chapel for the private service.
Thousands of people gathered from early morning behind crash barriers at the other side of the main church, awaiting their chance to file past Mr Haughey's open coffin. However, this evening the crowds outside were thinner. Around 1,300 members of the public were present at the removal service and the church was filled to capacity.
VIP guests, including members of the Government and the Oireachtas, began arriving at the church shortly after 4pm. Tanaiste Mary Harney entered the church at 4.40pm, followed shortly afterwards by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Also among the mourners were Mr Haughey's friend and former press secretary PJ Mara and his friend of 60 years Anthony Cronin.
President Mary McAleese, who cut short a visit to Africa to attend the removal and the funeral, met the Haughey family in private in the mortuary chapel, before she and her husband, Dr Martin McAleese, were escorted to their seats in the church just after 5pm.
Mr Haughey's remains were then taken from the mortuary chapel to the door of the main church and received by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, and Fr Eoghan Haughey, Mr Haughey's brother.
The entrance procession was accompanied by the hymn Ag Criost an Siol. Dr Martin said the opening prayer, followed by a reading by Conor Haughey, the former taoiseach's son.
"We are here in different roles: we are here as a nation - led by President Mary McAleese - remembering one whose many years of service in public life have impacted the shape of our current economy and society; some are here as members of his family who experienced his personal care during his life and returned that care lovingly during his illness; some are here as members of this local community where he had roots, both personal and in his function as a public representative," Dr Martin said.
At the end of the service, Anthony Cronin paid his own tribute to Mr Haughey, opening and closing his remarks with two Shakespeare poems.
Up to 500 VIPs were invited to attend the removal service and tomorrow's funeral Mass, with the remaining 1,500 seats being reserved for the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mourners at the church this evening also included former Fianna Fail fundraiser Des Richardson, Senator Fergal Quinn and a number of TDs, including Jim Glennon and Olivia Mitchell.
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| President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin arriving at the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney |
Donnycarney church, while not Mr Haughey's parish church, is in the heart of his former Dublin North Central constituency and the former taoiseach lived there for many years. His mother Sara lived in the area until her death some years ago. Many members of the Fianna Fáil party gathered with local people this morning to pay their respects and all had fond words to say about him.
A small crowd of local well-wishers gathered this evening outside the front entrance. Two large television screens will relay the services to those outside the church and in the nearby Le Chéile community hall.
Some 250 gardaí are being deployed for the event. Traffic around the church is being diverted. There are no reports of any major disruptions tonight, although crowds are still emerging from the church.
Tomorrow the cortege will be given a military escort along the Malahide Road before burial at St Fintan's Cemetery in Sutton.
Mr Ahern was among the well-wishers who paid their respects to Mr Haughey's widow Maureen and her four children at Abbeville yesterday. Former minister for finance and EU Commissioner, Ray MacSharry, and the former SDLP leader, John Hume, also visited Abbeville, as did Mr Mara.
Flags continue to fly at half mast on State buildings today and will remain so until after tomorrow's funeral.
Books of condolence are open in Dublin Castle, the Mansion House, City Hall, Government Buildings and at the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney. They will stay open until tomorrow evening.
Mr Ahern signed books of condolences in Fianna Fáil's Dublin headquarters and City Hall yesterday, while Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny signed the book of condolences at the Mansion House.
Mr Haughey will be afforded full State honours for his funeral, with an escort by a marching military battalion and band and a guard of honour by members of the Defence Forces, including members of the Naval Service. After the graveside prayers and a graveside oration delivered by the Taoiseach, military honours will be rendered.
Mr Haughey passed away on Tuesday at 9.50am. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1995.