It was not the homecoming they had planned. Frank Patterson had promised his parish priest in Clonmel, Mgr Michael Olden, that he would sing in his local church next month.
Instead, the people of the town did the honours yesterday, bidding farewell to a favourite son with an emotional graveside rendition of Slievenamon.
Hundreds of people had lined the streets of the town to pay their respects as the funeral cortege slowly made its way to St Patrick's Cemetery.
At St Mary's Church in Riverstown, where Frank had sung as a boy, there was a pause while the church choir sang Ave Maria on the steps outside.
At about 5.30 p.m., the coffin was carried to the grave to the strains of Abide With Me, played by the Banna Chluain Meala.
Prayers led by Bishop William Lee, of Waterford and Lismore, were followed by the graveside oration of the acting Mayor of Clonmel, Mr Tommy Norris. "Home is our hero to the town which he loved and which loved him so greatly," he said.
Mr Norris said the Bible stated that a prophet was seldom accepted in his own home. But that was not the case with Frank Patterson. "He was well respected and well regarded, not only as a singer but as a courteous individual, a man among people."
As the band then struck up Slievenamon, many in the crowd sang along. It was a true rendition, but if anything, served to increase the awareness that the person who sang it best of all would not be present to do so again.
Earlier, the gentle voice of Mr Patterson filled Dublin's Pro-Cathedral yesterday during his funeral. Many friends and relations who performed with Mr Patterson over four decades participated in the celebration, which closed with a recording of the soloist himself performing Schubert's Ave Maria. The rendition was greeted by loud applause from the funeral congregation of more than 1,500 people.
The chief celebrant, Father Dermod McCarthy, said: "Frank's death leaves a void in the cultural landscape of Ireland, and in the heart of all who claim a relationship with this land."
The actor and radio presenter, Mr Des Keogh, who was related by marriage to Mr Patterson, said the outpouring of public affection had been of great comfort to Mr Patterson's widow, the pianist Ms Eily O'Grady, their son Eanan, and the rest of the family. He said Mr Patterson would have loved the fact that all of his colleagues had come together to give him "such a wonderful send-off".
Leading the mourners were the President, Mrs McAleese; the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern; the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera; and the US Ambassador to Ireland, Mr Michael J. Sullivan. Among those also present were the Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Dr Martin Drennan; comedians Mr Hal Roche and Mr Noel V. Ginnity; actors Mr Bill Golding and Mr Niall Toibin; and from RTE: director general Mr Bob Collins and presenter Mr Brian Farrell. The late Count John McCormack, whose mantle of Ireland's leading tenor Mr Patterson inherited, was represented by his grand-daughter, Ms Carol McCormack.
With such a large turn-out, the departure of the funeral cortege for Clonmel was delayed by more than an hour. As the cortege pulled away, mourners circulated outside the cathedral.