The funeral of Eamon Ryan’s mother heard how her granddaughter gave her comfort by holding her hand following a tragic accident which claimed her life.
The Green Party leader along with his brothers John, Robert and sister Marion paid tribute to their loving mother Mary, who died unexpectedly earlier this week.
On Thursday Mr Ryan thanked emergency services who came to his mother’s aid after she suffered an accident while visiting Inishbofin Island off the coast of Galway on Tuesday.
Read More: Tributes paid to Minister Eamon Ryan's 'lovely' mother after sudden death
The packed congregation at St Joseph’s Church heard from Minister Ryan’s brother John how the whole family were still in shock over the 85-year-old’s sudden death.
Mourners at the service in Glasthule, south Dublin included President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Michael Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar.
Parish priest Fr Paul Tyrell said: “The past few days have been very difficult for us, this death came completely out of the blue with a very healthy, vibrant mother.”
In a eulogy read out by Minister Ryan and his three siblings, the 59-year-old politician spoke of his mother’s life as a young woman and how “her love to us was the foundation stone to our lives”.
Holding back tears, Minister Ryan added: “We would have loved to have said ‘We love you’ one more time but as someone said in the last two days ‘She already knew that’.
“Such love is never lost and does not decay. We pray that her true soul carries it on while what she leaves behind is passed on from here, generation to generation.”
His brother Robert added: “We take little comfort in her long life. She was not ready to depart and we were most certainly not ready to let her go.
“To us she was a witty, vibrant, forward-looking, curious woman who was an integral part of all our lives.
“We expected her to remain just so for many years to come and we are struggling to come to terms with what has happened.
“We miss her terribly and the void will be felt for many years.”
Sister Marion said at least her granddaughter was there at the time of the tragedy to offer some comfort to the deeply religious woman.
She said: “Even through the horror of a tragic accident we find comfort that her beautiful granddaughter Isabella was so close by.
“Her calmness and her loving hands were on mum followed very soon, as always, by Robert and Eamon.
“We were lucky that we were with mum as she slipped into the next world where no doubt her mum and dad, her brother Tom and her beloved Bob, are all waiting for her.”
Mrs Ryan’s remains were brought for burial in St Fintan’s Cemetery, Sutton following the funeral mass.
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