The funeral of Archbishop Michael Courtney, who was killed in an ambush in Burundi last Monday, has taken place today in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
The Mass at St Mary of the Rosary Church was celebrated by Cardinal Francis Arinze, assisted by Cardinal Desmond Connell, the Catholic Primate Archbishop Seán Brady, the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Lazaratto, and other bishops. Burial took place afterwards at Dromineer.
The government of Burundi was represented at the funeral Mass by Mr Athanase Gahungu, the country's finance minister.
Archbishop Courtney's remains were received at St Mary's church in Nenagh last night by the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, accompanied by Bishop John Kirby of Clonfert.
The Taoiseach was represented at an earlier Mass for Archbishop Courtney, in Loughrea, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
The archbishop's remains arrived at Dublin airport on Thursday night and were removed in a Tricolour-draped coffin from the airport mortuary to the chapel for a brief service conducted by Cardinal Desmond Connell. Also present were the coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, and the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Lavarotto.