The undertaker who posted a viral plea for people to attend a woman's funeral in Carlow has said he was amazed by the response.
Up to 300 people attended the funeral of Cork woman Mary Regan in Carlow, following a social media appeal made by undertaker Rory Healy.
Ms Regan, who died in the care of Hillview Nursing Home last Friday, was predeceased by her siblings Paddy, Con, Patricia and Jerry, as well as her partner Fred (Tony) Lang, and had no next of kin to attend the funeral.
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Mr Healy told Lunchtime Live that he hadn't wanted Ms Regan to be sent off alone.
"I knew Mary through the years through her late partner," he said.
"I wanted someone to be there to send her off, that she wasn't leaving Carlow alone."
Mr Healy said it was ‘amazing’ to see the crowd coming through the doors of Askea Church for the service this morning.
“That was basically what I wanted,” he said
“I didn't think it was going to get as much publicity as what it has got but for Mary – for herself, the lovely quiet woman that she was – it was great that all the people did turn out.
“A class from the local school also attended and they took part in the mass and did the offertory procession and things like that.
“We had the two local priests as well, Fr Tommy Dillon and Fr Tom Little this morning.
“So, it was great to see nearly a full Church.”
'Community and humanity'
Ms Regan will be buried in the cemetery in Adrigole, West Cork, where she is originally from, according to Mr Healy.
"She has some relatives - they're down in Cork, but they're unable to travel," he said.
"So, I just wanted the people of Carlow to send Mary on her way, not being alone, leaving from Carlow - because other than that, there mightn't have been anyone at mass.
"Normally at that morning mass, the local congregation would consist of about 40 or 50 people, and they would have been only there for the morning mass - but when I put the post out yesterday, I knew people then would come for Mary.
"I thought few people would come for Mary, but as I said, there was hundreds there for her today."
Mr Healy said the feeling of 'community and humanity' in the Church was 'something else'.
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