# List of Irish state funerals

State funerals (Irish: Tórraimh stáit) in Ireland have taken place on the following occasions since 1922.

## List

| Date | Recipient | Roles or achievements honoured | Notes | Venue | Date of death |
| 10 Feb 2024 | John Bruton | Taoiseach | | Church of SS Peter and Paul, Dunboyne, County Meath | 6 Feb 2024 |
| 21 Jun 2020 | Colm Horkan | Detective Garda killed on duty | Limited funeral due to Covid-19 restrictions | St James's Church, Charlestown, County Mayo | 17 Jun 2020 |
| 15 Oct 2015 | Tony Golden | Garda killed on duty (shot investigating a domestic violence incident) | | Church of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Blackrock, County Louth | 11 Oct 2015 |
| 18 Sep 2015 | Thomas Kent | Irish revolutionary period: executed after the Easter Rising. | Reinterment of remains located in 2014 at the site of former Cork County Gaol. | St Nicholas' Church, Castlelyons, County Cork | 9 May 1916 |
| 25 Aug 2014 | Albert Reynolds | Taoiseach | | Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, Dublin | 21 Aug 2014 |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Adrian Donohoe | Garda killed on duty (shot by robbers) | | Redemptorist Church, Dundalk, County Louth | 25 Jan 2013 |
| 22 May 2011 | Garret FitzGerald | Taoiseach | | Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, Dublin | 19 May 2011 |
| 13 Apr 2009 | Robbie McCallion | Garda killed on duty (rammed by a stolen car) | | Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Swinford, County Mayo | 7 Apr 2009 |
| 16 Apr 2008 | Patrick Hillery | President of Ireland | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 12 Apr 2008 |
| 16 Jun 2006 | Charles Haughey | Taoiseach | Cost estimated at €530,000 including policing. | Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney, Dublin | 13 Jun 2006 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Kevin Barry | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 1 Nov 1920 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Thomas Bryan | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Patrick Doyle | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Frank Flood | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Patrick Moran | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Bernard Ryan | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Thomas Whelan | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 14 Mar 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Thomas Traynor | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 25 Apr 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Edmond Foley | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 7 Jun 1921 |
| 14 Oct 2001 | Patrick Maher | Irish revolutionary period: volunteers executed during the War of Independence, collectively known as the Forgotten Ten. | Reinterments from Mountjoy Prison. Opposition parties complained that the funerals coincided with the ardfheis of Fianna Fáil, the main party in the government. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 7 Jun 1921 |
| 23 Oct 1999 | Jack Lynch | Taoiseach | The eulogy was by Desmond O'Malley of the Progressive Democrats rather than Lynch's Fianna Fáil party | North Cathedral, Cork | 20 Oct 1999 |
| 11 Aug 1997 | John Lynch | Irish Army sergeant killed in a helicopter crash on UNIFIL mission in Lebanon | | Cill Mhuire Church, Ballymanny, Newbridge, County Kildare | 1997 |
| 10 Jun 1996 | Jerry McCabe | Garda killed on duty escorting an An Post van ambushed at Adare, County Limerick by Provisional IRA members | | Church of the Holy Rosary, Limerick | 7 Jun 1996 |
| 25 May 1995 | Paul Reid | Garda killed on duty with the United Nations Protection Force in the Bosnian War. His car crashed while under sniper fire in Sarajevo. | | St Eunan's Cathedral, Letterkenny, County Donegal | 18 May 1995 |
| 13 Apr 1983 | Patrick Noel McLoughlin | Garda murdered at home | | Church of SS Peter and Paul, Dunboyne, County Meath | 11 Apr 1983 |
| 23 Mar 1978 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | President of Ireland | | St Michael's Church, Sneem, County Kerry | 21 Mar 1978 |
| 2 Sep 1975 | Éamon de Valera | President of Ireland, Taoiseach and Irish revolutionary period leader | There were complaints that Fianna Fáil TDs encroached at the graveside, obstructing Fine Gael and Labour ministers and foreign dignitaries. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 29 Aug 1975 |
| 21 Nov 1974 | Erskine H. Childers | President of Ireland (died in office) | | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin | 17 Nov 1974 |
| 3 Oct 1972 | Kathleen Clarke | Lord Mayor of Dublin; Irish revolutionary period: widow of Easter Rising leader Tom Clarke and member of the republican Dáil | Brendan Corish complained that as a member of the Council of State he ought to have been driven to the funeral. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 29 Sep 1972 |
| 13 May 1971 | Seán Lemass | Taoiseach; Irish revolutionary period: IRA leader | | Church of the Good Shepherd, Churchtown, Dublin | 11 May 1971 |
| 28 Sep 1970 | James Ryan | Minister; Irish revolutionary period: IRA leader and member of the republican Dáil | | County Wicklow | 25 Sep 1970 |
| 12 Mar 1968 | Donogh O'Malley | Minister for Education (died in office) | | St John's Cathedral, Limerick | 10 Mar 1968 |
| 10 Nov 1968 | Margaret Mary Pearse | Senator (died in office); Irish revolutionary period: sister of Easter Rising leader Patrick Pearse and member of the republican Dáil | | Church of the Annunciation, Rathfarnham, Dublin | 7 Nov 1968 |
| 29 Jan 1968 | Alfred Chester Beatty | Culture: Founder of the Chester Beatty Library | | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin | 19 Jan 1968 |
| 26 Nov 1966 | Seán T. O'Kelly | President of Ireland | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 23 Nov 1966 |
| 18 Nov 1965 | W. T. Cosgrave | President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. | His son Liam Cosgrave insisted that the family rather than the state should pay the funeral expenses. | Church of the Annunciation, Rathfarnham, Dublin | 16 Nov 1965 |
| 1 Mar 1965 | Roger Casement | Irish revolutionary period: Easter Rising leader. | Reinterment from Pentonville Prison. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 3 Aug 1916 |
| 2 Nov 1963 | Domhnall Ua Buachalla | Governor-General of the Irish Free State | | Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, Dublin | 30 Oct 1963 |
| 24 Jan 1963 | Adolph Reifferscheidt [de] | Diplomatic corps: West German ambassador to Ireland (died in office) | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 18 Jan 1963 |
| 13 Aug 1961 | John Moore | President of the Government of the Province of Connacht. | Reinterment from an untended grave in Ballygunner Temple, Waterford, rediscovered in 1960. | Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar, County Mayo | 6 Dec 1799 |
| 22 Nov 1960 | Niemba ambush victims | Irish Army: Ten soldiers killed in the United Nations Operation in the Congo. Eight were killed by Luba militiamen on 8 November: Lieutenant Kevin Gleeson; Sergeant Hugh Gaynor; Corporals Peter Kelly and Liam Dougan; Privates Matthew Farrell, Michael McGuinn, and Gerard Killeen; and Trooper Thomas Fennell. The ninth, Private Patrick Davis, was shot accidentally during the recovery mission. The tenth, Trooper Anthony Browne, was at the time of the state funeral presumed to have been killed in the ambush. In November 1962 his body was located where he had been killed days after and miles from the original ambush. He received a military burial in Glasnevin. | The coffins were kept at Baldonnel Aerodrome during the funeral mass. Mourners travelled from the Pro-Cathedral to the aerodrome and then accompanied the coffins to Glasnevin Cemetery. | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 8 Nov 1960 |
| 18 Nov 1957 | Seán Moylan | Senator (died in office); Minister; Irish revolutionary period: Irish Republican Army officer | | Church of St. Anthony, Clontarf, Dublin | 16 Nov 1957 |
| 27 Mar 1957 | Ernie O'Malley | Irish revolutionary period: Irish Republican Army officer | | Church of the Assumption, Howth, Dublin | 25 Mar 1957 |
| 14 July 1949 | Douglas Hyde | President of Ireland | Irish Catholic bishops said Catholic participation in Protestant ceremonies was a reserved sin, omitting the canon law exception for minimal participation as a matter of civic courtesy. Most Catholics remained outside the Church of Ireland cathedral during the religious service, including all members of the cabinet except Noël Browne. Austin Clarke's poem "Death of an Irish President" satirises this. | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin | 12 Jul 1949 |
| 30 Aug 1948 | Paschal Robinson | Diplomatic corps: Papal Nuncio to Ireland (died in office) | Robinson requested a simple funeral so some elements of a state funeral were omitted | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 27 Aug 1948 |
| 23 Jan 1948 | Sean Gantly | Garda Special Branch chief superintendent shot accidentally by a colleague during a manhunt for armed robbers | | Church of the Immaculate Conception, Dublin | 21 Jan 1948 |
| 2 Dec 1944 | Eoin O'Duffy | Garda Commissioner; Irish revolutionary period: Irish Republican Army chief of staff | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 30 Nov 1944 |
| 29 Jan 1938 | Lillie Connolly | Irish revolutionary period: Widow of Easter Rising leader James Connolly | | Mount Argus Church, Harold's Cross, Dublin | 22 Jan 1938 |
| October 1934 | Patrick S. Dinneen | Culture: Gaelic revival author and lexicographer | | Saint Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner Street, Dublin | 29 Sep 1934 |
| 26 April 1932 | Margaret Pearse | Irish revolutionary period: mother of Easter Rising leader Patrick Pearse and member of the republican Dáil | | Church of the Annunciation, Rathfarnham, Dublin | 22 April 1932 |
| 16 Jun 1929 | John Devoy | Fenian Rising of 1867; Irish revolutionary period: leader in the United States | A nonpartisan committee was formed to organise his repatriation and burial in Glasnevin, but the anti-Treaty members withdrew. The coffin was draped with both the Irish and American flags. | — | 29 Sep 1928 |
| 13 Jul 1927 | Kevin O'Higgins | Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State (assassinated in office) | | St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin | 10 Jul 1927 |
| 17 Nov 1926 | James Fitzsimons | Gardaí killed on duty (Fitzsimons in St Luke's, Cork and Ward in Hollyford, County Tipperary) during simultaneous IRA raids on twelve Garda stations | A joint funeral; the coffins arrived separately at Kingsbridge Station and proceeded in cortege to Glasnevin Cemetery, where the ceremonies took place, W. T. Cosgrave making an oration. Fitzsimons was buried in Glasnevin, Ward in Nobber, County Meath. | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin | 14 Nov 1926 |
| 17 Nov 1926 | Hugh Ward | Gardaí killed on duty (Fitzsimons in St Luke's, Cork and Ward in Hollyford, County Tipperary) during simultaneous IRA raids on twelve Garda stations | A joint funeral; the coffins arrived separately at Kingsbridge Station and proceeded in cortege to Glasnevin Cemetery, where the ceremonies took place, W. T. Cosgrave making an oration. Fitzsimons was buried in Glasnevin, Ward in Nobber, County Meath. | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin | 14 Nov 1926 |
| 28 Aug 1922 | Michael Collins | Irish revolutionary period: Chairman of the Provisional Government (killed in office in the Irish Civil War) | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 22 Aug 1922 |
| 16 Aug 1922 | Arthur Griffith | Irish revolutionary period: simultaneously President of the Irish Republic and member of the Provisional Government (died in office) | | St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin | 12 Aug 1922 |

### State funerals declined and refused

Former Taoisigh John A. Costello and Liam Cosgrave did not receive state funerals, at the request of their respective families. Similarly, a 1948 press release at the repatriation by LÉ Macha of the remains of W. B. Yeats, who had died in France in 1939, stated "The Government was, of course, desirous to accord full State honours in connection with the funeral, but considered it proper to respect the wishes of the poet's relatives." A state funeral was offered after the assassination of UK ambassador Christopher Ewart-Biggs in 1976; his widow agreed instead to a memorial service.
There was minimal official support for the 1970 reburial of men killed in India in the 1920 Connaught Rangers Mutiny. Arguments against a state funeral were that the 1966 Casement funeral not a precedent but rather symbolic of all who died abroad for Ireland; that the mutineers' profile was too low for major recognition; and that it might be seen as endorsing republican paramilitary action in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. While the government facilitated repatriation of the remains, the ensuing funerals were privately arranged by the National Graves Association.

## Protocol

Lying in state is only organised for a sitting taoiseach or president.
The church service (if Catholic) may feature a Solemn Mass, usually attended by current and past presidents, taoisigh and senior members of the Irish judiciary.
About 300 members of the Defence Forces provide a guard of honour, a gun-carriage carries the coffin, which is draped with the tricolour, and Army Buglers play the Last Post. There is a gun-salute.