Tributes have been paid to the journalist and author John Kelly who has died aged 78.
A native of Dublin, Mr Kelly cut his teeth in journalism with the Carlow Nationalist.
As a young man, he worked in newspapers in New York where he also continued his passion for playing Gaelic football.
In later years, he worked as a journalist with the Irish Press group of newspapers where colleagues and readers remember his crisp and artful writing.
Following the closure of the Irish Press group of newspapers, Mr Kelly worked as a freelance with the Irish Examiner and the Irish Echo.
The author of several books, he co-wrote - with Andrew Brasier - a biography of Harry Boland titled "A Man Divided."
Mr Kelly was a Member of Honour of the National Union of Journalists.
Its Assistant General Secretary, Seamus Dooley, said Mr Kelly was widely recognised for his tenacity and strong news sense.
Martin Fitzpatrick, Chairman, NUJ Dublin branch and a former Sunday Press colleague of Mr Kelly, described him as a top-class reporter and a huge presence in journalism in Ireland.
Mr Kelly is survived by his wife, Mary, and their five children Deirdre, Jim, Lisa, Rosaleen and Danny.
Deirdre said: "The whole family were all there when he took his last breath.
"He used to love the song Wand'rin' Star by Lee Marvin from the musical Paint Your Wagon. A lot of people he knew remember him singing that song.
"I played that song for him just slowly in the background while we were all with him and then he passed away just as the song ends.
"He was larger than life, everybody knew him. He wouldn't take any prisoners, but very kind as well."
His funeral Mass takes place at the Church of St Sylvester, Malahide, at 11am tomorrow morning.
