Political funerals raise a protocol issue

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen, along with his predecessor Bertie Ahern and other FF office-holders, attended Tony Gregory’s funeral this week. No doubt, from their point of view, this a very proper thing to do.

However only a few weeks earlier none of them turned up at the funeral of former government minister Dr Conor Cruise O’Brien. I do not know what the protocol is, but I would assume ex-minister would be of a higher pecking order than a TD, however popular the latter may be.

Mr Gregory was no doubt a fine representative, but I would argue Dr O’Brien helped to shape our thinking more than anyone else — witness now our attitude to the North compared to the irredentist policy of the assassinated Seamus Costello, of whom Mr Gregory was a follower. The principle of consent is now accepted by all, including Sinn Féin.