Hundreds of people yesterday attended the funeral in Dublin of Paddy Harrington, father of top golfer Pádraig Harrington.
Mr Harrington, who was 72, died on Monday from cancer.
The chief mourners were his wife, Breda, and sons Tadhg, Columb, Fintan, Fergal and Pádraig. He is also survived by his 97-year-old mother.
The Taoiseach was represented by his ADC, Comdt Michael Murray. Among those who attended the funeral Mass were former world snooker champion Ken Doherty and John O'Shea of aid agency Goal.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue, and the businessmen Dermot Desmond, JP McManus and Noel Smyth attended the removal on Wednesday evening.
The Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy, and Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy were also at the removal.
As the coffin left the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ballyroan, south Dublin, it was flanked by former senior officers of the Garda golf club in Stackstown, of which Mr Harrington was a founder member.
The chief concelebrant of the Mass was Fr Terence Harrington, a brother of the deceased. He said Paddy was a "quiet leader" and a man of deep faith. He said he was a down-to-earth man who endured his illness over a three-year period with great fortitude.
He said Paddy had organised his own funeral Mass. There was to be no mention of football, golf or any other sport. He wanted the Mass "to focus on things spiritual".
As the clock struck noon, the congregation observed a two-minute silence in memory of the victims of the London bombings.
Paddy Harrington was born in Castletownbere, west Cork, but spent many years in Dublin, where he was stationed as a garda. An accomplished sportsman, he played for Cork in two All-Ireland finals, in 1956 and in 1957.
He was also the driving force behind the development of Stackstown Golf Club, where he introduced Pádraig to the sport.
