Cowen will give graveside oration at Hillery funeral

THE State funeral of former President Patrick Hillery will take place on Wednesday. He will be buried in St Fintan’s Cemetery in Sutton, Co Dublin, alongside his daughter, Vivienne, who died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 18.

Tánaiste Brian Cowen will give the graveside oration, at the request of the Hillery family. Dr Hillery is survived by his wife Maeve and son John.

Dr Hillery died in St Francis Hospice in Raheny on Saturday morning following a short illness. He was 84.

President Mary McAleese led the tributes to him over the weekend, saying few politicians had served their country so well and with as much integrity and honesty.

His ministerial career had helped build a free education system, a successful economy and a thriving membership of the EU, she said.

As Ireland’s first European commissioner, his “innate sense of justice” achieved equal pay for women throughout the member states, Ms McAleese said.

She also cited his efforts to contain and end the Troubles in the north and praised his presidency.

“During his two terms of office, he discharged his duties with wisdom and impartiality, all the while enduring the long illness and loss of his beloved daughter, Vivienne, with a quiet dignity,” she said.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that, as president, Dr Hillery had served two terms with great dignity, skill and generosity.

“In volatile political times, he was a cool head, who exercised his powers wisely, and assiduously protected the independence of Ireland’s highest office,” said Mr Ahern.

“For 40 years, Dr Patrick Hillery was at the cutting edge of Irish public life and set an unsurpassable standard of integrity and delivery. He was a true and unassuming patriot who in his time made a noble contribution to the wellbeing of our country.”

PD leader Mary Harney said Dr Hillery had left lasting achievements: “As president of Ireland he showed that his greatest loyalty was to the constitution of Ireland. His actions in 1982 [failing to yield to pressure from Charlie Haughey and others regarding the dissolution of the Dáil] will remain a testament to the importance of principle over pragmatism in key moments of history.”

Green Party leader John Gormley said Dr Hillery had made “a strong contribution” to Ireland’s current peace and prosperity during his career: “He was a very honourable statesman.”

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Dr Hillery was “a great statesman, an accomplished politician and a true patriot” who had embodied “all that was best about Irish public life”.

“He was a warm and engaging personality and, of all things in life, he loved his wife and his native Clare most,” said Mr Kenny.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said Dr Hillery would be particularly remembered for the crucial role he played in ensuring stability of state institutions following the outbreak of violence in the north during the 1970 arms crisis.