MOURNERS will travel from as far away as China, Australia and America to attend the funeral of west Belfast man Gerry Conlon.
Thousands of people are expected to pack St Peter's Cathedral in the lower Falls on Saturday for Requiem Mass for the 60-year-old, who served 15 years in jail after being wrongly convicted of the 1974 IRA Guildford pub bombing.
Mr Conlon, who died on Saturday from cancer, was given a life sentence with three others for the attack which killed five people and injured 65, before the Guild-ford Four's convictions were finally overturned in 1989.
His father, Guiseppe, along with members of the Maguire family - who became known as the Maguire Seven - were also jailed for explosives offences connected with the bombing.
He was arrested while travelling to London from Belfast to help his son but died in prison in 1980, still protesting his innocence, and never saw his son freed.
In 1991 Guiseppe's conviction was posthumously overturned by the Court of Appeal along with those of the Maguires.
In 2005, The Irish News successfully led a campaign with Gerry Conlon for a public apology from the British government for the miscarriages of justice.
In recent years Mr Conlon had continued to campaign on justice issues, highlighting other potential miscarriages of justice and lobbying for fair trials for a number of people accused of dissident republican offences.
Large crowds are expected to join family and friends at Requiem Mass for Mr Conlon, who had spoken over the years of the personal and emotional battles he fought following his release from prison.
Fr Ciaran Dallat, a curate at St Peter's Cathedral, will celebrate the Mass.
Meanwhile, further tributes have been paid to Gerry Conlon.
President Michael D Higgins said he was "greatly saddened" to hear of his death.
"Mr Conlon was the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice as was his father, Guiseppe, and it was clear in recent years that he and his family paid an enormous price for that injustice through the long years he and Guiseppe spent in prison and in the incredible difficulties Gerry faced in trying to adjust to life in the community after losing so much of his adult life to imprisonment," he said.
"The integrity and determination which Gerry brought to his fight for truth, and the tireless work of those who supported the Guildford Four, Birmingham Six and Maguire Seven Campaigns stand as an inspiration to all who stand up for justice."
He added: "In later years Gerry drew from his experiences to selflessly and tirelessly campaign on behalf of others in similar situations with the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation, and also on behalf of other victims of human rights abuses around the world.
"His loss will be felt not only in Ireland but also amongst all those who struggle against injustice.
Fr Sean McManus, president of the Irish National Caucus in Washington, described Gerry as "one of the heroes of the Irish Troubles".
"Unfairness and injustice of any kind outraged Gerry's good heart. May his noble Irish soul rest in peace," he said.
Mr Conlon will be buried at Mill-town Cemetery following Mass at St Peter's Cathedral at 10am on Saturday.