Crowds pay their respects to army chief

HUGE crowds queued for up to three hours to pay their respects to the former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley, as his coffin lay in the garrison church at the Curragh yesterday.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen attended St Brigid’s Church at the Curragh earlier in the day, while President Mary McAleese attended the removal of Lt Gen Earley’s body to the Saint Conleth’s Church in Newbridge. Minister for Defence Tony Killeen was also present.

The 62-year-old soldier retired from the Defence Forces earlier this month.