Tributes flow for first newscaster

"DAD will be pleased to see that this, his final performance, is to a packed house." Mr Nicholas Mitchel was speaking from the altar at St Mary's Church, Haddington Road, Dublin, to the large congregation which had been present yesterday for the funeral Mass of his father, RTE television's first newscaster, Mr Charles Mitchel.

RTE's Head of Religious Programmes, Father Dermod McCarthy, who gave the homily, said: "The whole country bids farewell to a daily visitor - a person who came into our living rooms every evening for 20 years."

The actor, Mr Aidan Grennel, a friend of Mr Mitchel's for many years, read the first lesson. The mourners were led by Mr Mitchel's wife, Betty, his daughter Susan, and son, Nicholas.

Representing the President was Comdt Hugo Bonar, while Comdt Maurice McQuillan represented the Taoiseach. The former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, and the Fine Gael MEP, Ms Mary Banotti, also attended.

Also there was the RTE director general, Mr Joe Barry; the station's director of news, Mr Joe Mulholland; Mr Wesley Boyd, its head of broadcasting development who, as former head of news, was Charles Mitchel's boss for 17 years; and the film censor, Mr Sheamus Smith.

Present too were Mr Dermot Mullane, RTE's executive editor - planning and development; Mr Eoin Ronayne, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists; Mr Robert Carrickford and Mr Dermot Dolan, of Actors' Equity. Many RTE colleagues attended, including Mr Donal Kelly, Mr Colm Connolly, Mr Kevin McDonald, Ms Eileen Dunne, Mr Ken Hammond, Mr Brendan O'Reilly, Mr Jim Sherwin, Mr Tony Lyons, the actress Ms Laurie Morton, and singer Mr Joe Dolan.

Mr Albert Reynolds said Mr Mitchel "was one of our early customers at C&D Foods (pet food factory) and one of his dogs was in our first advertisement".

Mr Mitchel was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.