These were the poignant scenes in Killarney this Tuesday as the late Donal O’Grady – who served the town so well as a local councillor for quarter of a century an as a fire officer – embarked on his final journey through the streets he knew and loved so well.
Kerry Fire Service officers flanked the hearse as the remains slowly proceeded along New Street and High Street with the cortege making its way from St Mary’s Cathedral to his final resting place in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery.
Locals paused for reflection and shops closed their doors and dimmed their lights in a mark of respect for a man who did so much to help so many others throughout his life.
Appropriately, given his life-long love of horses, a ceremonial horse and carriage also escorted the hearse through the town with some of Donal’s 28 grandchildren on board.
Earlier, his four sons, Colin, Mike, John and Martin, shouldered their dad’s coffin from the church with the Fire Service guard of honour watching on in respectful silence with many reflecting on Donal’s many years as a top class chief fire officer in Killarney.
Killarney came to a standstill on Monday evening and again this Tuesday as people turned out in their hundreds to pay their respects to the former Independent councillor who will be best remembered as a champion of the under-privileged and a passionate advocate for the homeless.
His funeral Mass heard that Donal loved Killarney and its people right throughout his life and it was abundantly clear, over the last 48 hours, that Killarney and its people loved him too.
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