As the organ of St Mary’s Pro Cathedral played every strata of Irish life into their seats for the funeral of Gay Byrne, a single butterfly flew amongst them.

The popular broadcaster passed away last Monday at the age of 85.

Two different but good men have died. They probably would not have agreed on some topics. Each contributed to the times they lived in.

Broadcaster Gay Byrne will be laid to rest tomorrow with RTÉ airing live coverage of the funeral.

British businessman Richard Branson has paid tribute to "incredible entertainer" Gay Byrne, who passed away on Monday.

To whom it may concern, rest in peace Gay.

The extent to which broadcaster Gay Byrne was a passenger in, or a driver of, the Ireland that emerged in the final third of the 20th century will be long debated. That the question will never be satisfactorily answered speaks of the man’s ambiguity, suggests Gerard Howlin.

"And here is your host, Gay Byrne."

RTÉ stars came together last night to hold a very public wake for the State broadcaster’s most famous son, as a Late Late Show special paid tribute to its former host Gay Byrne.

RTE One is broadcasting a special Late Late Show tribute to Gay Byrne tonight.

The funeral of the broadcaster will take place on Friday.

Politicians, broadcasters and members of the public have been visiting the Mansion House in Dublin while people queued in Cork's City Hall to sign books of condolence for Gay Byrne.

In a moving tribute to Gay Byrne, a former Late Late Show production assistant has described his achievements as "enormous" and "extraordinary".

Tayto has deleted a social media post that paid tribute to the late Gay Byrne after a backlash online.

The legendary broadcaster passed away at the age of 85 following a long illness.

Chat show host Graham Norton has paid tribute to the "extraordinary career and life" of Gay Byrne following the broadcaster's death yesterday.

"He affectionately nicknamed Gaybo 'Holy God' and we've no doubt Brendan is part of the welcome committee, extending the warmest of homecomings to Gay, beyond the veil."

He interviewed lesbian nuns, discussed condoms and abortion, and held singer Sinéad O’Connor’s hand as she appeared on the show dressed in clerical garb as Mother Bernadette Mary.

The broadcaster also revealed in an interview that he was never interested in running for President despite being flattered by speculation that he should throw his hat into the race.

It was once suggested, possibly incorrectly, that there was no sex in Ireland before Gay Byrne.

As the news broke this afternoon that the legendary RTÉ broadcaster had passed away at the age of 85, social media was quickly filled with tributes and fond memories.

In May of last year, Gay Byrne made a surprising admission that he regretted the length of time he spent working for RTÉ, to the detriment of family life.

Gay Byrne regarded himself as highly professional but much less relevant than he actually was in the course of modern Irish history, writes Terry Prone

Gay Byrne’s successors on the Late Late Show have reflected on their relationships with the broadcasting icon, and recalled the advice he dispensed to them throughout their career.

When it started in 1962, producer Tom McGrath intended The Late Late Show to be a light entertainment, informal programme to run as a 'filler' over the summer. Gay Byrne had other ideas.

Gabriel Mary 'Gay' Byrne, the man who would later dominate Irish media and smash open the country's most controversial taboos, was born on August 5, 1934, in Dublin's northside.

RTÉ broadcaster Gay Byrne has passed away at the age of 85 following a long illness.

President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to Gay Byrne, the veteran RTÉ broadcaster who has died at the age of 85.

Stephen Fry has reacted to his tweet ahead of Ireland's recent referendum on blasphemy law saying he was "very proud to have had a small part to play."

Shareholder funds at the media firm owned by Ireland’s most celebrated broadcaster, Gay Byrne, topped the €600,000 mark in 2016.

Gay Byrne has revealed his gratitude to his wife Kathleen for looking after him as he goes through his cancer treatment.

Gay Byrne has been going through a tough time with his cancer battle, his wife has revealed.

So why is Jim Gavin being all unreasonable? You might recall recently that charges of criminal blasphemy were dropped against actor and comedian Stephen Fry.

A business partnership involving broadcaster Gay Byrne has settled its Commercial Court dispute against a financial fund over loan repayments in relation to an investment property worth an estimated €13.5m in central Dublin.

Kathleen Watkins is thanking the public for their generous support for her husband Gay Byrne following his recent health scare.

Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne has revealed that he may have prostate cancer.

Doctor Thorne, from Julian Fellowes, begins on UTV Ireland tomorrow at 9pm, starring Rebecca Front, Tom Hollander, Ian McShane and Stefanie Martini.

Broadcasting legend Gay Byrne has suffered a heart attack.

Gay Byrne picked the most argumentative leftwingers, some of them fresh from student activism, to serve as researchers on the ‘Late, Late Show’. Terry Prone says he helped shape Ireland.

Former chairman of the Road Safety Authority, Gay Byrne, has said the law around drink driving needs to be completely re-written from top to bottom.