Corish refuses to attend State funeral

THE late former Labour leader Brendan Corish refused to attend a State funeral because a State car was not sent to his Wexford home to drive him to the ceremony in Dublin.

Mr Corish, who led the party from 1960-77, was in opposition at the time of the funeral of Kathleen Clarke in October 1972 but he was also a member of the Council of State which, he complained to the Taoiseach’s office, entitled him to a chauffeur.

Mrs Clarke, a former TD, senator and Lord Mayor of Dublin, was the widow of Tom Clarke, the first signatory of the 1916 Proclamation, and sister of Ned Daly, both of whom were executed following the Rising.