A lone piper leads Paddy Harte’s coffin to St Eunan’s Church in Raphoe.
FORMER State Minister Paddy Harte has been laid to rest in Raphoe following his death at the age of 86.
Mr Harte’s tricolour-draped coffin was carried the short journey from his home in The Diamond to St Eunan’s Church for Requiem Mass this morning.
Aide-De-Camps to both President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined senior politicians and hundreds of mourners for the service.
Among the mourners was Iza Barr and Wesley Barr, wife and brother of the late Glen Barr with whom Paddy Harte established the Irish Peace Park in Messines.
Attendants at the funeral including Joe McHugh TD and Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh.
The park, commemorating Irish soldiers who fell during World War One, was opened in 1998 by Mary McAleese, Queen Elizabeth II and King Albert of Belgium.
Speaking ahead of Mass, Paddy Harte’s daughter Mary spoke of how her father had “travelled the long and lonely road of reconciliation before it was popular to do so”.
Following funeral Mass, Paddy Harte was laid to rest in the cemetery adjoining St Eunan’s.
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