People from all walks file past Haughey’s coffin

OFFICIALLY they queued from eight in the morning but for some, the journey to bid farewell to Charlie began a day before.

Farmer Jeremiah Quill from Coolea, Co Cork, left the milking in the hands of his son, drove to Millstreet, got the train to Dublin, overnighted with relatives, grabbed a taxi to Donnycarney and took his place in the queue with thousands of others who travelled from all over the country to pay their respects.

In the afternoon, he would turn around and make his way home again — he couldn’t abandon the milking two days in a row.

“I idolised this man all my life, since he became leader of Fianna Fáil. He had vision and intelligence that no man in Ireland ever had. He cut through red tape,” he said.

“The spirit that he brought around when he was canvassing put the hair standing up on the back of the your neck. You either love him or hate him. I just happen to be one of the fellows who love him.”

Jeremiah was in good company. The queue to file past the former Taoiseach’s coffin was rarely less than hundreds long and 25 minutes in waiting. The first aiders from the Order of Malta kept close watch but the hastily advertised coffee shop in the community centre next door did more business.

Inside the church, the record book carried signatures from Mayo, Cork, Offaly and the adjacent streets of Dublin 5.

Baskets were set out to collect sympathy cards and stewards were on hand to receive the floral offerings, ranging from formal wreaths to a bunch of garden roses with kitchen foil around their stems.

The official flowers were few but handsome. Tall displays of white lilies, white roses and white carnations dotted the church.

The queue wound its way up the aisle and through the pews until, at last, it came to a mortuary bathed in natural light where the former leader of the country was laid out in typical sartorial elegance.

His suit was classic dark blue, his shirt a purplish hue and his tie a perfectly matched mid-tone with tiny white polka dots. He lay cushioned in folds of white silk, rosary beads in deep, shining green wrapped around his thin fingers.

He was more fragile than anyone outside of his family had ever seen him but even with his thin strands of now snow-white hair swept back from his forehead, that distinctive nose and pronounced jaw so beloved of cartoonists stood out strong and proud.

His coffin, polished pine with heavy brass-coloured fittings, was neither fancy nor plain. A large arrangement of all-white flowers stood close by bearing the message “From your family with love”.

People stood, prayed, blessed themselves or just nodded in his direction as they went past.

Friends, Mary Henry from Ballymote, Co Sligo, and Agnes Geraghty from Roscommon town, both living in Dublin, felt they were representing rural Ireland.

“My big thing is the Succession Act,” Mary explained. “I am from the west of Ireland where, if a husband hadn’t made a will, the land could be passed on to a nephew and the widow would be out on the street as soon as the funeral was over.

“Charlie made sure no man could put his wife out of her home. That was one of the best things he ever did. Ireland is a nation of begrudgers. We are only looking for the negative.”

The younger generation was not well represented but Stephen Moynihan, 22, from Killarney and Eilis Dowling, 21, from Camross, Co Laois, were determined to do their bit.

Stephen, a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil, is looking forward to the canvass in next summer’s elections. Eilis is a blueshirt, but even that couldn’t keep her away.

“He is a former Taoiseach, leader of our country, regardless of which party. They say young people have no interest in politics but here we are.”

One-and-a-half-year-old Ben McGuirk and his almost five brother, Jack, were getting an even earlier insight into politics courtesy of their parents, Val and Gary.

“This is our neighbourhood and this is their church. It’s history and we didn’t want to them to miss out on it,” said Val.

“And let’s face it,” added Gary, “it might be a long time before anybody from Donnycarney leads the country again.”

Funeral arrangements

*10.30am: Seating of congregation in church to 11.30am.

*11.45am: Taoiseach to arrive with ADC.

*11.48am: Lord Mayor to arrive with ADC.

*11.50am: Members of immediate family to arrive.

*11.55am: President, Dr McAleese and ADC to arrive.

*12 noon: Solemn Requiem Mass commences.

*1.30pm: Service concludes. Lead by the officiating clergy, Mr Haughey to be removed from church.

*The coffin will then be placed in the hearse with accompanying military ceremony.

*2pm: The cortege will move off.

*2.25pm: The cortege is due to arrive at Artane Roundabout. Marching military element to fall out.

*3pm: On arrival at St Fintan’s Cemetery, the coffin will be borne to the graveside.

The National Flag will be removed from the coffin and presented to Ms Haughey.

The coffin will be placed in the grave.

Fr Eoghan Haughey will commence prayers.

Fr Eoghan to call on the Taoiseach to give the oration.

The Taoiseach to deliver his oration.

*After the oration, military honours to be rendered:

A firing party from the Naval Service will fire three volleys over the grave. On completion, the Last Post will be played by three buglers and three drummers. Reveille will then be sounded.