John Bruton was ‘a statesman of unshakeable integrity,’ Taoiseach says at graveside oration

A State funeral for former taoiseach John Bruton in Co Meath has heard he was “an exceptionally good man”.

President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Attorney General Rossa Fanning were among those to pay their respects at St Peter and Paul’s Church in Dunboyne on Saturday morning.

Chief mourners included Mr Bruton’s wife Finola, his children Matthew, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, his grandchildren and his brother, TD Richard Bruton.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the church to watch the funeral, which was live-streamed on a large screen, with traffic diversions in place in the town. Around 180 members of the Defence Forces took part in the proceedings.

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Fionola Bruton, wife of John Bruton, arriving at her husband's funeral. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill (Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times )

Mr Bruton was buried at Roose Cemetery, where the Taoiseach gave a graveside oration.

Fr Patrick O’Connor, Parish Priest of Dunboyne and Kilbride, was chief celebrant, with Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan and Fr Bruce Bradley SJ, friend of the Bruton family, co-celebrating.

Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, and Archbishop Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin also presided at the Mass along with other clergy.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke at the funeral of former taoiseach John Bruton describing his life being “defined by love – love of family, love of country, love of politics, love of our party, love of country.”

He paid tribute to John Bruton’s family who were “the centre of his life”.

“John loved Ireland, and it was a real love, not defined by dislike of fear of others, but by a genuine love of our country and what we could be. It was noble, true and modern patriotism.

“John was a man of ideas, and his greatest idea was that we could arrest our decline, and become a prosperous, successful country. His drive and optimism helped make that vision a reality.”

The Taoiseach spoke about how John Bruton “changed Ireland and he changed it considerably for the better. He changed us for the better too”.

The funeral cortege travelled from the church to Rooske Cemetery, where Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gave a graveside oration in which he described Mr Bruton as “a statesman of unshakeable integrity and moral conviction who led our country with distinction at home and on the world stage”.

Mr Varadkar said the former taoiseach’s life was defined by love - “love of family, love of county, love of politics, love of our party, love of country”, while the centre of his life was his wife and children.

Mr Varadkar also said he loved politics and believed it was the best way to achieve real and lasting change for the good.

He said Mr Bruton was an inspiration to him throughout his career and that he was “a beacon of courage and integrity who offered a vision of an inclusive and peaceful island”.

Concluding his remarks, Mr Varadkar said the former Fine Gael leader was a man of hope, ideas and faith who had changed Ireland and “changed it considerably for the better”.

In his homily, Father Bruce Bradley said Mr Bruton was “honest and honourable, patient and persevering, courageous and committed” and as the Taoiseach had previously said, was “willing to lead even when it meant going against the grain”.

Fr Bradley noted Mr Bruton’s “remarkable” political career, which began at age 22, his leadership of the Fine Gael party and the “successes of the unexpected Rainbow coalition” as well as his later role as EU ambassador to the United States.

He also said that Mr Bruton was an “instinctive, reflective Catholic” and rooted in his faith.

“His life cannot be understood properly apart from that,” he said.

“This was not a faith of slogans but a thoughtful faith lived out in his actions and choices, a faith that does justice, expressed in his life of public service.”

Mr Bruton’s grandchildren, Robin and Oliver, brought gifts to the alter, which included a family photograph and his book, Faith in Politics.

His daughter Mary-Elizabeth carried out a reading while prayers were read out by his brother Richard and sister Mary.

Hymns were sung by Finbar Wright and Lisa Lambe while Mr Bruton’s daughter Emily read the poem Death is Nothing at All by Henry Scott Holland.

Former taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny were in attendance as well as Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Current and former ministers, including Helen McEntee, Paschal Donohoe, Charlie McConalogue, Simon Harris, Jack Chambers, Thomas Byrne, Nora Owen, Michael Noonan, Alan Dukes, Ivan Yates and Phil Hogan were also present.

Members of the Defence Forces carried Mr Bruton’s coffin out of the church at the end of the Mass. He will be buried at Rooske Cemetery.

Father Bruce Bradley SJ, a friend of the Bruton family, delivered the homily during the Mass.

“John Bruton was an exceptionally good man, truly one of “the virtuous” of whom today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom speaks.

“Courage, integrity, decency – the words recur again and again in the tributes paid to him since his death.” He said he was “a very gifted and genuinely likable man who enjoyed a varied and successful career, more than enough to fill many columns.”

“For John, his religion was infinitely important in the literal sense. Any account of what he was about without central reference to his Catholicism is seriously incomplete.

You can read the booklet from the funeral service above.

In his homily, Fr Bruce Bradley describes Mr Bruton as “an exceptionally good man”, who was rooted in his faith.