State funeral is above any political party

In regards to a letter from Myles Duffy on August 15, I beg to differ with the views expressed therein. Describing the planned State funeral as a ‘politically inspired propaganda stunt with an eye to getting out the local vote in the general election’ is way off the mark. 

Once the remains of Thomas Kent were positively identified, I presume an offer of holding an official State funeral was made to the Kent family, which they accepted. This will not be a FG, FF, Lab or SF event. Ireland as a State is above any individual political party and so it should be. The ceremony on September 18 is to convey the remains of Thomas Kent to their final resting place in his native parish with his own kith and kin.

As we prepare to lay him to rest, let us say a huge ‘Thank you’ to Thomas Kent and the others of 1916 who lit the fuse for Irish freedom. May he rest in peace.