Courtney McGrailStaff reporter
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral Mass of former Tánaiste, Peter Barry on Monday at St Michael’s Church in Blackrock, Cork.
Chief celebrant Fr Kieran Twomey recalled he first met Peter Barry when he brought him Holy Communion at home. “He had tremendous respect and because he couldn’t stand on his feet he said ‘I apologise I can’t stand to greet you’. That’s the gentleman that was Peter Barry. He was respected by all because God blessed him with special gifts,” he told a congregation which included President Michael D. Higgins, the Taoiseach and several ministers and Dáil deputies.
The Bishop of Cork and Ross, John Buckley, one of the concelebrants at the funeral, described the former minister as a “man of great integrity and faith who, following in his family tradition, was deeply committed to public service”.
“Practising his faith was important to Mr Barry, his late wife Margaret and his family. That faith motivated his spirit and success in public, private and commercial life,” he wrote.
He was first elected to the Dáil in 1969 where he served until 1997. From 1982 to 1987 as Minister for Foreign Affairs he was heavily involved in the Anglo Irish Agreement negotiations.