The Funeral
The funeral for Ruairí Ó Brádaigh was held on Saturday, 8 June 2013. Prior to the funeral, mourners gathered outside of Sacred Heart Church. The variety of mourners demonstrated the breadth of respect that activists had for him. Several prominent dissidents were among the crowd, as were ex-prisoners and current political commentators Anthony McIntyre and Tommy McKearney. Also there was Frank Feighan, the Fine Gael TD for Roscommon-South Leitrim.[i] The Sinn Féin leadership was not welcome and none of them were in attendance. Gerry Adams did release a statement that included, “Whatever differences we may have shared on political matters, Ruairí was a life-long activist who was committed to his principles. Go ndeanfaidh Dia trócaire ar a n’anam dílis.”[ii]
[i] Cunningham, Graine, “TD stands by decision to attend funeral of dissident republican leader Ó Brádaigh”, Irish Times, 10 June 2013.
[ii] “Ruairi Ó Brádaigh, former President of Sinn Féin, dies.” An Phoblacht/Republican News, 5 June 2013.
Prominent “dissidents” pictured include: the late Tony Catney (of Republican Network for Unity), Colin Duffy and Alex McCrory (who would help create Saoradh), Francie Mackey and Phil O’Donoghue (of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement), and Des Dalton and Dan Hoban (of Republican Sinn Féin).
There was also a heavy police presence. Members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit, dressed in their distinctive blue caps and jackets, observed, photographed and videotaped mourners.
Police officers on Church grounds prior to the Requiem Mass for Ruairí Ó Brádaigh.
Following Requiem Mass, pall bearers — Ruairí Ó Brádaigh’s four sons and two of his grandsons — carried the coffin from Sacred Heart Church to the hearse. The route was flanked by marshals and uniformed members of the republican youth movement, Na Fianna Éireann, and the republican women’s organization, Cumann na mBan.
Leaving Sacred Heart Church, through a guard of honor that included members of the RSF and Cumann na mBan leadership and Na Fianna Éireann scouts.
The coffin was draped with an Irish tricolor and topped by the beret that Ó Brádaigh had worn as an IRA volunteer in the 1950s. Pall bearers were his four sons and two of his grandsons.
Led by a marshal, the hearse left Sacred Heart Church for St. Coman’s Cemetery, and a crowd of perhaps 2,000 people wound its way through Roscommon Town.
Leaving the church grounds.
From Sacred Heart Church to St. Coman's Cemetery.
