The tiny
Donegal
village came to a standstill yesterday
as local people gathered for the funeral of Julia O'Donnell, the mother of singer Daniel O'Donnell. Eleven priests concelebrated the funeral Mass.
Hundreds of mourners turned up for the funeral of the gentle 94-year-old who lived for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The seaside church of St Mary's at Kincasslagh was packed to capacity an hour before the Mass was due to begin.
The church nestles on a hill overlooking the sea with Owey Island – where Julia and her late husband moved from to the mainland to marry and have children – in the distance.
The priests included Fr Brian D’Arcy, Fr John Joe Duffy and the chief celebrant, Fr Brian Logue, who was present at Julia’s husband Francie’s funeral almost 50 years ago.
Mrs O’Donnell’s remains were brought into the church by her sons and daughters James, John Bosco, Daniel, Margaret and Kathleen.
Daniel’s wife, Majella, and a large following of family followed close behind.
White roses
A wreath of white roses and lilies sat on top of the coffin.
Parish priest Fr Pat Ward said his mother always asked him after funerals how many priests were at the Mass. He said she would have been proud of how many priests turned up to concelebrate Mrs O’Donnell’s funeral Mass.
Fr Logue, a local priest, returned from Scotland to conduct the service at the request of Mrs O’Donnell.
“She was a gifted and talented person. She was very well known for her knitting. She knitted for the pope, she knitted for the queen and she received ‘thank you’ letters from both of them.”
To laughter from the congregation, he joked: “I cannot count the number of clerical black socks she knitted for me.
“She was also a composer of songs.”
He looked at Julia’s coffin and said: “Now, Julia, I’m going to bid you farewell.
“Whenever I reach the golden gates, I hope, I hope you will be there to welcome me with a new pair of socks … and a song. One day I will meet you and we will sing together again.”
The funeral hymns, in both Irish and English, were sung by Daniel’s close friend Mary Duff.
Gentle drizzle
Outside the heavens had opened into a gentle drizzle as Mrs O'Donnell was led to her final resting place at nearby Belcruit Cemetery, alongside her husband Francie.
With her island birthplace in the distance through the mist and rain, Julia O’Donnell’s long journey had finally come to a peaceful end.