‘Our once and always leader’ – Leo Varadkar pays tribute to ‘inspiration’ John Bruton in graveside oration

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has paid a personal tribute to his late colleague John Bruton at his State funeral in Dunboyne, Co Meath, today.

“There are three things that last: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love,” Mr Varadkar said at the graveside of the former Taoiseach, who he described as “our once and always leader”.

“The words of St. Paul to the Corinthians have a special resonance today as we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague – our once and always leader – John Bruton.

“This is our opportunity to pay tribute to a statesman of unshakeable integrity and moral conviction who led our country with distinction at home and on the world stage,” Mr Varadkar said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said John Bruton’s life was “defined by love”.

“Love of family, love of county, love of politics, love of our party, love of country,” he continued.

“The centre of his life was Finola, and their children Matthew, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth.

“Later, he found so much love and joy with his grandchildren, Ophelia, Hugo, Oliver and Robin.

“We offer you our deepest condolences, and also extend them to his brother Richard, our colleague and friend, and his sister Mary.”

Mr Varadkar spoke about John’s love for Meath – how he understood farmers and cared for the future of rural Ireland – as he also mentioned John’s love for politics.

“His core principle was that ‘every person counts’ and he put that into action in every single role and office he held.”

Mr Varadkar also remembered working with his late colleague in Fine Gael.

“He loved Fine Gael, even when we disappointed him,” he said.

“In 1999, I was thrilled to receive a phone call from him when I was running in my first election.

“It meant a lot at the time, but it meant even more when he called a second time after he heard I hadn’t been elected, encouraging me to stay involved and to stay the course.

“He told me – Your time will come, don’t give up, fall forward.

“A couple of years later, I travelled to Berlin to attend my first EPP Congress, and my fellow youth delegates from other countries were astonished that the party leader not only knew my name, but was happy to come and chat with us and share our plate of cocktail sausages,” he said.

Mr Varadkar described John as his inspiration throughout his career.

“There was so much that I looked to his example for guidance, including how it was possible to lead a three-party Government successfully and to keep it together.”

He also highlighted John Bruton’s “noble, true and modern” patriotism and love for Ireland.

“John loved Ireland, and it was a real love, not defined by dislike or fear of others, but by a genuine love of our country and what we could be.

“When others sullied our flag by carrying out terrorist atrocities in its name, John was a beacon of courage and integrity who offered a vision of an inclusive and peaceful island.”

“Today we miss John terribly and would give anything to hear his great, booming laugh one last time.

“John Bruton did so much more than simply give an account of himself.

“He changed Ireland and he changed it considerably for the better. He changed us for the better too.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal agus dílis. Slán agus beannacht, a sheanchara,” he said.

The State funeral of former Taoiseach John Bruton was attended by Irish president Michael D Higgins and many other political figures at Saints Peter and Paul’s Church.

Mr Bruton’s wife Finola, his children Matthew, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, and his grandchildren and his brother – former minister Richard Bruton – were also in attendance.

Mr Bruton, the Fine Gael leader who was Taoiseach of the “rainbow coalition” government between 1994 and 1997, died on Tuesday aged 76. He died surrounded by his family in hospital after a long illness.

Full state funeral honours were accorded to Mr Bruton, with Irish soldiers carrying his coffin out of the church before it was carried on a gun carriage to Rooske Cemetery where full military honours will be given at the graveside.

Soldiers dressed Mr Bruton’s coffin at the family home ahead of the removal mass on Friday.

In the homily, Father Bruce Bradley described Mr Bruton as “an exceptionally good man”.

“John was honest and honourable, patient and persevering, courageous and committed, ‘willing to lead even when it meant going against the grain’, as the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said, humble and unassuming, a man of integrity and truth.”

Fr Bradley mentioned some of the most significant accomplishments in John Bruton’s political career, such as the start of his political career at the early age of 22, the leadership of his party, Rainbow Coalition, and his time as the EU ambassador to the United States.

“He lived in an increasingly large universe, acquiring a perceptive understanding of European and global politics,” he said.

Fr Bradley added John Bruton was a “very gifted and genuinely very likeable man who enjoyed a very successful career”.

“We gather this morning in sadness and intense grieving, with Finola, Matthew, Juliana, Emily, Mary-Elizabeth,” Chief Celebrant Fr Pat O’Connor said.

Two of John’s grandchildren brought two symbols of John’s life to the table in front of the altar: a family photograph, as his family was “the centre of John’s life” and his book “Faith in Politics”.

Mourners at St Peter and Paul’s Church can see a picture of Padre Pio painted by John’s daughter, Emily Bruton Inieko. She also painted a picture of her father on the back of today’s funeral booklet.

Emily Bruton Inieko is also reading today’s reflection – “Death is Nothing at All” by Henry Scott Holland.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, Minister Jack Chambers and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue are among those in attendance, and parliamentary ushers are also among the mourners.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were among those in attendance at the service.

Richard Bruton, Mary Bruton, Caroline Gill, David Clarke, Matthew Dempsey, Dermot Gleeson and Mary Coonan speak during the Prayers of the Faithful.

“John has been always profoundly grateful to Fiona and the family for the careful care and loving attention which they have given to him,” David Clarke said in a prayer.

Two of John’s grandchildren Ophelia (7) and Hugo Bruton-Dubois, both children of Juliana Bruton-Dubois, presented the bread and wine to the altar.

Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan said Saints Peter and Paul’s Church had been important to Mr Bruton, and they had met at Sunday masses.

“Faith was important to him and the Christian ideal,” Bishop Deenihan said, adding that aspects of the late taoiseach’s religious beliefs “informed his political thinking”.

“He was not, and rightly so, an advocate of a theocracy but was, in the best sense of the term, a Christian democrat.

“The Christian principles of co-operation, dialogue, equity and respect – central to the teachings of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount – are also evidenced in his work in relation to Northern Ireland and Europe.”

The bishop said the praise given to Mr Bruton since his death that he was “a decent man” is “the supreme accolade in rural Ireland”.

“We commend John to God with our praise and prayers. Like Shakespeare’s Othello, he has done the state some service but Saint Paul puts it better, the life and death of each of us has its influence on others,” mourners heard.

The pallbearer party has begun the funeral procession and members of the Defence Forces have carried Mr Bruton’s coffin from the church. Pallbearers are followed by John Bruton’s family.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who won the 1997 Irish election that would deny John Bruton a second term in government, said the former premier had an “extraordinary career”.

“I served with John for over 40 years in one form or another, from being in the Dail and out of the Dail,” Mr Ahern told reporters.

“He was a good guy, a decent person, a good politician, he worked extremely hard and served the country well.”

He said the main focus on Saturday is family, adding Mr Bruton and wife Finola were “always together”.

“Even in recent years, when we were over in the House of Commons during the Brexit debate, she’d always be there and she’d sit through the boring debates that John and myself would have with Brexiteers.

“So today’s very tough for them and I think they will miss him greatly, more than anybody.

“I think he served us so well, and I think he did so many jobs at home and abroad, I had a lot of dealings with him when I was Taoiseach, when he was EU ambassador to Washington and he worked incredibly hard, and because he’s representing (the EU), and I suppose that’s an even bigger job than when you’re doing it at home, because you’re representing the whole of Europe.

“And of course, he served so many jobs at home. So I think that he’s had an extraordinary career and a long one – I’m sure they would have preferred it was even longer again.”

Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan’s exclusive take on the day’s news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.