Simple farewell, no eulogy or spin
‘Man of many words’ PJ Mara took his leave in a service where, fittingly, he called the shots
FORMER government press secretary PJ Mara, a man of many words, asked to leave the world with no eulogy, his requiem Mass heard yesterday.
Fr Patrick Claffey told the assembly at St Mary’s Church on Haddington Road, on the south side of Dublin city, that Mr Mara didn’t want ‘razzmatazz or spin’ at his funeral ‘because he certainly knew he was entering a place where spin doesn’t matter very much’.
Among the mourners were Mr Mara’s partner Sheila Tormey and their daughter Elena, aged two; his son John, with wife Clare and son Jack, and Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s wife Fionnuala, who worked with Mr Mara during her time in the Fianna Fáil press office.
Businessman Denis O’Brien, who carried the coffin of Mr Mara into the church, read a prayer of the faithful. Mr O’Brien owns the Beacon Hospital where PJ spent the last months of his life ‘in the lead up to what he knew to be his impending death’, Fr Patrick Claffey told mourners. Also present were Maureen Haughey, the widow of Mr Mara’s longterm boss Charlie. She was wheeled into church by son Seán Haughey.
‘Warm, funny, irreverent, intelligent and widely read’
There was a large Fianna Fáíl presence at the ceremony, including Fianna Fáíl leader Micheál Martin and wife Mary, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former minister Charlie McCreevy.
Former government ministers and Progressive Democrat TDs Michael McDowell and Des O’Malley were also present.
Quoting a tribute from lifelong friend Maurice Manning, Fr Claffey said: ‘PJ was great friend. Warm, funny, irreverent, hugely intelligent and widely read, he always got to the heart of the matter and never missed the bigger picture. He had a genuine interest in people and the absurdity of human life, especially in political life where absurdity is never really in short supply.’
Fr Claffey said Mr Mara left two instructions for his family upon his passing. ‘No memorabilia and no eulogy. We are going to respect those wishes. However, I must say, when I saw the piece about memorabilia, I wonder what did he think we might have done. I reckon a Charvet shirt? And I’m almost sure the manifestoes from the 1997, 2002 and 2007 elections.’
Fr Claffey spoke about meeting Mr Mara in Searson’s Pub on Baggot Street where he would have a pint of Guinness, leg of lamb, tart with cream and, occasionally, an Irish coffee.
‘He had long decided or been informed that I was a “blue”,’ Fr Claffey remarked. He was still proud of his political achievements, notably the now famous “three in a row”. I have no doubt he would have been interested in what was going to happen in the next couple of weeks and might have had a word of advice here and there.’
PJ Mara will be buried at Kinvara, Co. Galway today beside his wife Breda.