HUNDREDS of people have gathered for the funeral of veteran republican Richard 'Dickie' Glenholmes, who died on Monday after a long illness.
Mr Glenholmes, who was imprisoned twice for IRA activity including a lengthy jail sentence in England, was in his 80s.
From the Ballymacarrett district of east Belfast, he was jailed in the 1980s for attempting to free IRA leader Brian Keenan from Brixton Prison.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, and a number of other senior republicans, including councillor Séanna Walsh, attended Requiem Mass at St Agnes Church in Andersonstown yesterday morning.
Mr Adams described Mr Glenholmes as "a truly remarkable and exceptional human being".
"In the hard years when the British imprisoned him without trial and he was locked away for years in England he kept the faith. So did Lily," he said.
"A republican in her own right, Lily was the perfect partner to Dickie and a wonderful grounded and strong Irish woman.
"Dickie believed in freedom and in equality. And when the opportunity was created to achieve republican objectives through peaceful and democratic means he embraced it."
Following the funeral service the cortège made its way along the Andersonstown Road to Milltown Cemetery for burial.
He is survived by his wife Lily, children Eibhlin, Richard, Damien and Michelle.
