Goodbyes

I was fortunate to travel back to Dublin for the funeral.

Walking in procession through Finglas, following the hearse, a cold foggy day with church bells ringing in the distance - it was like something out of a Scorsese movie. Beautiful service, the soloist was amazing, and I will never listen to 'Fields of Gold' the same way again.

A huge turnout, and everyone had their own stories to tell about a lovely, kind, honest man - who will be missed terribly.

Later, a trip to Glasnevin cemetary, which is now a famous tourist hotspot, as most of Irish civil war heroes are buried here. An enormous place.

As with other Irish funerals, desperately sad, beautiful, humbling in equal measure. But when all is said and done, the extended family pulls together and we are all here at a special time.