The State Funeral of former President Dr Patrick Hillery took place in Dublin yesterday, Wednesday, April 16.

Thousands of members of the public lined the streets following a requiem mass at noon yesterday as the funeral cortege made its journey from the Pro-Cathedral, with a military escort, to St Fintan's cemetery in Sutton.

President McAleese and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern both read during the Mass., while Dr Hillery's grandchildren brought gifts to the altar including his sailing cap and a painting of his house at Spanish Point in his native Co Clare.

An Tánaiste Brian Cowen, at the request of the family, give a graveside oration at the cemetery followed by a firing party salute before the Army Band sounded the Last Post. The late Dr Hillery was then laid to rest with full military honours alongside his daughter, Vivienne.

A medical doctor from Clare, Dr Hillery first won a Dáil seat for Fianna Fáil as Éamon de Valera's running mate in 1951 in his native county.

He was appointed Minister for External Affairs on the outbreak of the Troubles in 1969. Four years later he served as Ireland's first European Commissioner, but returned to Ireland to stand as Fianna Fáil candidate for the presidency, vacated in a constitutional crisis by the resignation of Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh.

He was unopposed in 1976, and went on to serve another term without election before Mary Robinson took over as President in 1990.

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