The death of former Fianna Fáil TD and government minister Mary O'Rourke has been described as the "end of an era" by her nephew, Conor Lenihan.
Ms O’Rourke died yesterday at the age of 87.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Mr Lenihan, who is also a former Fianna Fáil TD and son of former tánaiste Brian Lenihan Sr, said Ms O'Rourke was the "last of the line" in that family.
He thanked everyone who had gotten in touch to send their condolences.
"It's really touching to see all the friends and people who have made contact, and ordinary members of the public who have expressed great concern over the years, asking how she is," he said.
"I was with her last week in the nursing home and she was in great form... so it wasn't the case that she had lots of suffering."
Mr Lenihan said his aunt was a "great educator" who used to bring students home to give them extra tuition.
He described her as a "really committed teacher" and a "great example of the contribution that the teaching profession has made to public life in Ireland".
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"She had these wonderful students from Summerhill School and she'd do extra tuition with them if she thought they wanted big points or wanted to do medicine or some difficult challenge. She'd put extra work in her own time into coaching and bringing those students forward," he said.
Mr Lenihan said his aunt was "well anchored" in the values of family and it was "no accident" that she lost her seat the year her husband Enda died.
He said his uncle "kept her on the road politically" and did a "great deal" of constituency work for her.
"I think there was a big gap in her life when Enda left and of course she got on with it and didn't stay at home crying all the time, she just moved on and got to enjoy family life in retirement," he said.
"She has six grandchildren and loads of nieces and grandnieces and she was very attentive to all of us. I felt like almost a third son to her... when my mother lost her husband Brian, she was hugely supportive of my mother.
"She was really, really a very special person."
A 'dynamic, straight talker'
Former president Mary McAleese has said Ms O'Rourke was a "dynamic" person and a "straight talker",
She had a "great capacity for friendship and kindness", added Ms McAleese.
Ms O'Rourke was described as a "wonderful" and "dynamic" person who was "so accepting of things in life".
She had a "great capacity for friendship and kindness", Ms McAleese said, adding she was the first politician she approached when she first thought of standing for the presidency.
"I think she was exceptional in many ways because she was an iconic person for women, who were not used to seeing women like her at the level of politics at which she operated, there weren't very many of them," she said.
"She wasn't uppity. She didn't have notions about herself or anything else. She was a straight talker, very honest, very funny and very warm."
"Pretty much with Mary what you saw was what you got."
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Ms McAleese said Ms O'Rourke's political career was a "rollercoaster of ups and downs" but no matter where she went, she "went to the top".
"No matter what came or went, Mary kept focused and just giving in public service," she added.
President Michael D Higgins led tributes yesterday and said she made a distinguished contribution to Irish political life and was dedicated to serving the public.
A book of condolences to remember Ms O’Rourke is to open at the Civic Centre in her hometown of Athlone.
Another book of condolences will be made available to the public at the civic building in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
Ms O’Rourke’s remains will repose at the Strand Funeral Home in Athlone on Sunday from 3pm to 6pm.
Her funeral mass will take place on Monday in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Coosan, Co Westmeath, on Monday at 12pm.
