Updated 13.40

Hundreds of mourners from the literary, entertainment and political worlds have gathered in Dublin to bid farewell to Seamus Heaney.

The funeral Mass for the poet and playwright (74) is taking place at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook in Dublin this lunchtime.

He will be laid to rest this evening in his native Derry.

Well known faces from the literary world, as well as music, entertainment and politics packed into the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook to pay their final respects to Seamus Heaney.

Seamus Heaney passed away in hospital in Dublin last Friday following a short illness.

The President, Michael D Higgins, is among the mourners along with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and the north's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness - as well as the Papal Nunico Charles Brown.

All four members of U2 and their partners were also in attendance.

The congregation broke into spontaneous applause as Seamus Heaney's remains were placed in the hearse:

Family friend Monsignor Brendan Devlin, a close family friend, is the chief celebrant:

A copy of Seamus Heaney's work and a posey of flowers from his garden on the Strand Road in Sandymount were offered as gifts.

Seamus Heaney will now make his final journey home - he will be laid to rest in Ballaghy Cemetery in his native Derry this evening.

Seamus Heaney's coffin arrived at the Sacred Heart Church in Dublin shortly before Mass began at around 11.30am: 

The Heaney family arrived in a group to Donnybrook: 

President Higgins is attending the service: 

Bono and his wife arriving at the church earlier: 

Bono spoke to Newstalk's new Pat Kenny show earlier about his sense of loss on learning of the poet's death.

Seamus is survived by his wife Marie and their three children Michael, Christopher and Catherine Ann.

Funeral mass takes place at 11.30, with burial in Bellaghy Cemetery in Derry at 5pm this evening.