‘She was the taoiseach Athlone never had’ – Mary O’Rourke remembered as a national figure who has left a ‘wonderful legacy’

They were the evocative anecdotes which were among a deluge of moving tributes that dominated the funeral mass of the much-loved and deeply respected former politician at a thronged Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Coosan.

The normally serene place of worship which the long-serving TD had graced on numerous occasions throughout her personal and decorated professional career provided a fitting backdrop as politicians from both local and national spectrums joined with locals to say a final goodbye to one of Athlone’s most revered daughters.

A hearse carrying Ms O’Rourke’s coffin, fittingly draped in a tricolour, slowly made its way to the church’s front entrance flanked by a guard of honour and public representatives on either side.

Among those to arrive and pay their final respects were President Michael D Higgins, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Education Minister Norma Foley as well as former Fianna Fáil ministers Mary Coughlan and Dermot Ahern.

Indeed, it was the Fianna Fáil leader who spoke to the assembled media outside ahead of delivering a eulogy to a political confidant and associate he credited had left an “outstanding legacy” to a community the mother of two had served for almost three decades.

That sense of esteem was one which dictated the hour and a half long service that followed, a mass that will be remembered as much more of a celebration of Ms O’Rourke’s life than one of palpable sorrow.

Her six grandchildren each carried a symbol of her life to the altar, including a photo with her beloved husband Enda, whose loss, mourners were told, had left “a great void in her life” following his death in 2001.

The flag of Fianna Fáil, a copy of her book, a rugby jersey, a mobile phone and a newspaper were also brought forward, each a reminder of her family’s tradition in the political party, her success as a writer and her love of both rugby and conversation.

The mother of two was one of five members of her family to have served in the Dáil – including her late father Paddy Lenihan, her late brother Brian Lenihan Sr, who was tánaiste and a presidential election candidate, her late nephew Brian Lenihan Jr, who was minister for finance, and her nephew Conor, who was a junior minister.

Her youngest son, Aengus described the former Fianna Fáil deputy leader as the “ultimate public representative” whose passion for bettering the lives of those who elected her knew no bounds.

“Mum definitely blazed a trail,” he proudly remarked, noting how she had become the first woman to be elected to Athlone Urban District Council in 1974.

“Mum saw everyone as deserving of equal time and she went above the call of duty particularly for those who were marginalised or in any way disadvantaged.

“She was so organised, thorough, professional and always honest and it was a fascinating environment to grow up in.”

It was a childhood, the Westmeath county councillor said was emboldened by the enduring bond that existed between his parents and the many unforgettable memories it brought.

In a light-hearted twist, the former Westmeath County Council cathaoirleach recalled holidaying in a “dodgy caravan” each year in Spiddal before a decision to take a family vacation to Spain ended in amusing failure.

“I was 12 and it didn’t work out,” he wryly quipped.

“Mum was eaten alive by mosquitoes and dad couldn’t find a decent pint of Guinness so we didn’t travel again.”

Mr O’Rourke drew widespread laughter moments later when singling out his mother’s penchant for a “nice, hot bath”, in a humorous throwback to her tenure as enterprise minister in March 2000 when she learned on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland of the sudden resignation of then CIÉ chairman, Brian Joyce, when she was in the bath.

His older sibling, Feargal spoke glowingly of Ms O’Rourke’s fondness for the more simpler things in life, all the while becoming a societal flagbearer for women both locally and at national level.

“She was one of the first lay women in Maynooth and she took great pride in storming that heretofore male bastion of education,” he said, adding her enthusiasm and success as a teacher in Summerhill secondary school was something she cherished.

Those reflections were ones Tánaiste Micheál Martin endorsed, contending how her four year term as Education Minister from 1987 to 1991 was a spell upon which her legacy ultimately rested on.

“Of all the offices she held, the one in my view that stands out is her four year period as a dynamic and reforming minister for education,” he said.

“She was minister at a time of very severe financial restrictions, yet Mary was determined to make Irish education more inclusive, more modern and more effective.

“She implemented changes which had a deep and positive impact on the development of our country.

Those modifications, he said, helped ensure hundreds of thousands of young people were afforded the opportunity of fulfilling their potential.

“She believed that women and girls should always be supported and be encouraged to speak up and also always be listened to,” he said.

“She worked for and celebrated every step towards building a more diverse and inclusive society and, as we say goodbye to her, there are simply too many areas where she made a difference.

“Throughout her career, you find the same themes, the same motivation, she was consistent, strong and a determined voice for social progress, growth and inclusion in Ireland.”

Those soundings were ones which were matched by one Ms O’Rourke’s former party colleagues and retired councillor Tom Allen as he like umpteen others paid their final farewell to one of Athlone’s finest public figureheads.

“She was the taoiseach Athlone never had,” he movingly put it.

And that perhaps, just perhaps, is Mary O’Rourke’s most enduring and greatest of accolades.