The funeral of the broadcaster, journalist and raconteur Mr Ted Bonner is to take place in Dublin tomorrow.
Mr Bonner, who turned 84 five days ago, died on Tuesday at St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, after a stroke.
A war veteran who had a varied career in the media and marketing, Mr Bonner came to national prominence in the 1970s as a panellist on the Late Late Show on RTÉ television.
Originally from Belfast, he served in the Royal Air Force during the second World War in Italy and Egypt. After the war, he worked as a sales representative for an aviation equipment company, Decca Navigation. The job took him to many far-flung locations, and it was through such travels that he built up a store of stories and anecdotes which he would recall over many years.
Among those quick to recognise his talent for storytelling were RTE and presenter Gay Byrne, who invited Mr Bonner to became a regular feature on the Late Late Show.
Between 1971 and 1981, Mr Bonner also worked as manager of group communications at Irish Distillers.
In the 1980s, he also worked as a columnist for the Sunday Press, writing predominantly on motoring. In addition, he wrote under the pseudonym Richard O'Hagan for Motoring Life.
Gay Byrne, who had been en route to meeting Mr Bonner for lunch last Tuesday when he heard of the sudden death, said yesterday: "I remember at one time saying he was the best panellist I ever had. He was great fun, a great raconteur and a great reader, who remembered what he read."
A resident of Clonskeagh, Dublin, Mr Bonner is survived by his wife, Kay, and sons Jonathan and Desmond.
The removal of his remains will take place this evening from the Patrick Massey Funeral Home, the Coombe, to St Therese's Church, Mount Merrion, arriving at 4.30 p.m.
His body will be cremated at Mount Jerome Crematorium after funeral Mass at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
