THEY came from every corner of the island to pay their respects to a true titan of Irish politics, a man who for decades remained unwavering in his commitment to peace and justice.
Family, colleagues, dignitaries, political allies and former foes squeezed into the pews of St James of Jerusalem Church, Mullaghbrack, the place where Seamus Mallon had been baptised more than 80 years ago.
St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh would have undoubtedly made a much grander setting and better accommodated the hundreds who descended on this small rural church, the crowd overspilling into the hall next door.
But it was Seamus’s wish that his funeral would take place in the same modest venue where four years ago he said a last goodbye to Gertrude, his wife of more than 50 years and his strongest ally.
Despite the mourners’ disparate backgrounds, most would be happy to call the former deputy first minister a friend.
He was serious and earnest when the public occasion demanded it but privately he was also personable and warmly appreciative of others’ endeavours.
Just across the fields stands St John’s Church of Ireland church, its close proximity underlining how the the unionist and nationalist communities in this part of Co Armagh live among each other.
This ‘Shared Homeland’ which Seamus Mallon referenced in the title of his memoir was key to shaping his political character.
He often challenged his neighbours’ actions and the injustices incurred against his own people yet he always maintained a respectful dignity and sought to understand the other tradition.
The fact that many unionist leaders attended yesterday’s Requiem Mass and celebration of the former SDLP deputy leader’s life was a testament to his success in constantly challenging sectarianism
And while lots of those who filed in behind the coffin shouldered by SDLP luminaries of past and present were drawn from the political sphere, there were many others, less recognisable, who simply knew Seamus socially, whether it was through fishing, drama, Gaelic football, golf or gardening.
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His passions were varied and his popularity far-reaching – “Seamus’s own people,” as Tandragee Parish Priest Father Michael Woods described them.
Gifts brought to the altar included his aforementioned memoir, a copy of his maiden speech in the House of Commons, golf balls from Rosapenna in Co Donegal, a pot of roses, and ‘A Book for Poppy’, presented by his only granddaughter, Lara Lenny.
There was also a picture of Seamus alongside Pope John Paul, an illustration of the faith he carried to the last.
During his homily, Archbishop Eamon Martin quoted the Seamus Heaney poem Human Chain, stressing how place shaped Seamus Mallon, while through the “noble vocation of politics” the former MP for Newry and Armagh strived to make the world a better place.
Such ambitions are rarely fulfilled but among those gathered in Mullaghbrack yesterday, there was a sense they were remembering and celebrating somebody who during the course of his lifetime had made a genuine difference.
