Mourners gathered in west Belfast yesterday for the funeral of a mother of one of the 1981 hunger strikers.
Margaret Doherty, who was a great-great-grandmother, died in hospital on Sunday - just two days after the 38th anniversary of her son’s death.
Kieran Doherty died on August 2, 1981 at the age of 25 after 73 days on hunger strike.
Shortly before his death he was elected TD for Cavan-Monaghan.
Yesterday, mourners gathered at St Agnes' Church for Requiem Mass for Mrs Doherty, who lived in Andersonstown.
Fr Thomas McGlynn said the mother-of-six had lived a "very full and diverse life".
"Her early life was centred around home, family, school and church, as was typical of so many young women of her generation. Also, Sunday School and the Salvation Army, which helped develop a great love of music and singing," he said.
"She also had a great love of dancing and it was through dancing that she met and fell in love with Alfie.
"As a Catholic from the Falls Road and Margaret, as a protestant from the Shankill, their backgrounds were very different but love always transcends boundaries and differences, and Margaret, entirely of her own volition, decided to become a Catholic, receiving instruction from the much loved Fr Arthurs at Clonard Monastery".
Fr McGlynn said Mrs Doherty had been "determined" to support her son, Kieran.
"Margaret led a very full and diverse life but perhaps of all the things she had to face up to, the most demanding was in 1981 when, with nine families, who's sons were also on hunger strike, between May and August, it forced families, parents and perhaps, let's be honest, most particularly mothers, into the spotlight," he said.
"Margaret was determined, as were all families at that time, to support Kieran, and their sons in their decision".
Speaking at the funeral, Gerry Adams TD described Mrs Doherty as "a fine singer" and someone who was "always welcoming with a wonderful sense of humour".
"I had the great privilege to know Margaret and her late husband Alfie for many years," he said.
"They were people of immense courage, who bore with great fortitude and resilience the enormous trauma of the 1981 hunger strike.
"When I visited the prison hospital 29 July, 1981 I had the opportunity to speak to Kieran and to his parents Margaret and Alfie and his brother Michael. Kieran was close to death but determined to make his stand against Britain’s criminalisation policy. It was an agonising time for his parents and siblings who campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the political prisoners".
Mr Adams added: "In the years after the hunger strike Margaret and Alfie retained a very special relationship with the people of Cavan Monaghan who had elected Kieran as a TD".
Margaret Doherty was laid to rest in The Rock Cemetery following Requiem Mass.
