Archbishop celebrates funeral Mass for former Irish prime minister

Published: 2006-06-16

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Former Prime Minister Charles Haughey's funeral Mass was celebrated June 16 by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin in the Church of Our Lady of Consolation in Dublin. Haughey's brother, Oblate Father Eoghan Haughey, concelebrated. In an earlier statement, Archbishop Martin described Haughey as "a man who has engaged the people of Ireland over the last 40 years on the public stage." He also said that the days following the death of the former prime minister were "not ones for writing history books" and that a "full and balanced analysis" of Haughey's impact would "take time and careful consideration." During a long career, Haughey served as the head of the Irish government three times: 1979-81; March to December 1983; and 1987-92. Before that he served as a minister of the departments of Health and Social Welfare, Finance, Agriculture and Justice.

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