The former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Donal Nevin lived a life of tremendous service to others, his funeral Mass was told yesterday. Delivering a tribute, Fr Tom Morrissey said Mr Nevin had made “remarkable contributions to so many organisations and areas of life”.
He served for 40 years in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, including seven years as general secretary between 1982 and 1989. Mr Nevin had assisted the State in its development of policy in a wide range of areas.
He served on the broadcasting review committee and the commission on the remuneration and conditions in the Defence Forces, as well as on the expert group on the integration of the tax and social welfare systems.
Fr Morrissey said Mr Nevin was chairman of the Economic and Social Research Institute and involved himself in a number of voluntary bodies, such as the Irish Hospice Foundation. He was a patron of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement and was an active member in the early years of Share in the Dublin archdiocese. He also served on the board of the Abbey Theatre.
He was a founding governor of the Irish Times Trust and a director of the Irish Times Ltd for many years.
Mr Nevin is survived by his wife, Maura, and their daughter Anne.
The Government was represented yesterday by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton. The Taoiseach was represented by his ADC, Comdt Michael Treacy.
President Michael D Higgins attended the removal on Tuesday and he was represented yesterday by his ADC, Col Brendan McAndrew.
Serving trade union leaders at the funeral Mass included Ictu general secretary David Begg, Shay Cody of Impact, Eoin Ronayne of the CPSU, Tom Geraghty of the PSEU, Steve Fitzpatrick of the CWU and Joe O’Flynn and Patricia King of Siptu.
The Labour Court was represented by chairman Kevin Duffy, by Brendan Hayes and Jerry Shanahan. Former secretary general at the Department of the Taoiseach Dermot McCarthy was there, as was former Labour Court chairman John Horgan.
Retired trade union figures at the funeral included former Ictu general secretary Peter Cassells, former Impact general secretary Peter McLoone and former CPSU general secretary Blair Horgan.
The Irish Times was represented at the removal by managing director Liam Kavanagh and editor Kevin O’Sullivan.
