Hundreds of mourners gathered in New York City yesterday to remember Frank Patterson, the Irish tenor who made America his home after forging a hugely successful musical career.
In a homily in St Patrick's Cathedral, Bishop Patrick Ahern said Patterson had revelled in the pleasure his talents had given to audiences, whether in Carnegie Hall or a small parish church.
"Frank was without guile. He heartily loved to sing, but for the happiness his golden voice gave to others," Bishop Ahern said. "Into each song, each time he sang it, he poured his whole heart."
Patterson, who was 61, died on Saturday in New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
A devout Catholic, Mr Patterson had hoped to sing Ave Maria at the funeral of New York's Cardinal John O'Connor, who also died of a brain tumour last month. But Patterson's condition worsened the night before the cardinal's funeral and he was unable to attend.
A recording of Patterson's own version of the hymn was played at yesterday's funeral Mass.
Outside the cathedral, Mr John Kiernan recalled performing with Patterson and the Hibernian Festival Singers at an annual Christmas concert in Long Island last year. Patterson, he said, had hinted at being ill but promised to return.
"He said he would be back next year. It's so sudden for us. He was a very personable man and we enjoyed singing with him," Mr Kiernan said. Patterson's body was scheduled to be flown back to Ireland to arrive in Dublin today, where another funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Pro-Cathedral. Interment will be in his home town of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, tomorrow.