The funeral of the Independent TD Tony Gregory has taken place in central Dublin.
Around 600 people packed into St Agatha's Church on North William Street for the funeral mass of 61-year-old Mr Gregory, who died on Friday after a long battle with cancer.
President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Brian Cowen were amongst the political and public figures who joined hundreds of friends, family members and constituents at the funeral of the Dublin Central TD.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, Green Party leader John Gormley and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams were all in attendance along with dozens of TDs and county councillors, including Tony Gregory's constituency colleague and former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
The Mass was celebrated by a friend of the family Fr Piaras O'Douill, and concelebrated by Bishop Eamon Walsh. Having battled cancer for a long time, Tony Gregory had left strict instructions on how his funeral should be.
Fr Peter McVerry delivered the homily and described how Tony's legacy will live on in the constituents of the area for whom he worked so tirelessly.
He said his presence in the corridors of power had given the people of the area pride, hope and confidence. Fr McVerry said the Gregory Deal 'made people believe that their dream for a better life, at least for their children might after all be possible'.
Man of 'principle and integrity'
He said that politicians come and go and get forgotten but that Tony Gregory would not be forgotten.
And Fr McVerry remembered how Tony Gregory had started the fashion for open-necked shirts.
Tony Gregory's long-term partner Annette Dolan read extremely personal prayers of the faithful, in which she described the Dublin Central TD as a man of 'principle and integrity who fought passionately for what he believed in'.
She paid extreme thanks to the staff of the Bons Secours Hospital in Glasnevin, Beaumont Hospital and St Francis Hospice, whom she said had all given great care to Tony Gregory.
Friend and colleague Independent Councillor Maureen O'Sullivan spoke on Tony's behalf at the end of the Mass. She said before he died Tony Gregory had asked her to arrange his funeral.
She spoke of how, despite his commitment and prominence, for 25 years he had been 'systematically excluded by every political party' from getting the position of Lord Mayor or any other prominent position on Dublin City Council.
She said he was also excluded during his years as a TD, except for the time he led the Technical Group which he said showed how independent TDs could participate very effectively.
Cllr questions political tributes
She queried how he would feel about the 'lavish tributes and praise' that certain politicians have paid to him in the last few days.
She mentioned the politicians that have spoken 'profusely of him in death', but in life, when he came looking to them for help, 'never as much put a leaflet in the letter box'.
Cllr O'Sullivan appealed to those people to stay away from the burial, which Mr Gregory wanted reserved for those people who truly knew him, saying to applause from the congregation that 'his funeral is not a photo opportunity'.
During his illness he continued to work and tried to make it into the Dáil most days, up until December.
She said he made a tremendous effort to get into the Dáil recently to speak on the education cuts but was not allowed speaking time.
The blue and white of the Starry Plough flag - traditional to workers - draped the coffin as it left the church and the crowd who lined the streets applauded as the hearse made its way to the Balgriffen cemetery in north Dublin for a private burial.
Look back at Tony Gregory's career with Michéal Lehane's video obituary, his One to One interview with Aine Lawlor and our photo gallery.
