TV presenter Eamonn Holmes was unable to attend his mother's funeral in Belfast yesterday due to being hospitalised in England following surgery.
The 62-year-old spoke virtually to those gathered at St Patrick's Church in Donegall Street in central Belfast at the beginning of Requiem Mass for his mother Josie.
Mrs Holmes, who died last Friday aged 93, was described as "the best".
Eamonn, who is from north Belfast, shared details of his mother's death on social media.
"My 4 amazing brothers and I said goodbye for the last time to our beautiful mum Josie this afternoon.
"She's at last reunited with daddy now.
"That is our only consolation. We loved and will miss her so much.
"Every time I visited her she came to the door to bless me with holy water and wave goodbye. Now sadly it really is goodbye mummy".
Yesterday, Eamonn, who formerly presented ITV's This Morning with his wife Ruth Langsford before joining GB News, told the congregation he was unable to attend in person following back surgery.
He also added that he had suffered a fall and had broken his shoulder.
Paying tribute he told the congregation: "They don't make them like you any more Josie. The last of a generation.
"We couldn't have had a better mummy and daddy.
"As you lay dying, we got comfort from your unshakeable faith and belief in an after life. You believed with all your heart that the first person you would see would be daddy".
Saying it was the "end of an era", said his mother's death was particularly felt by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Among those who attended yesterday's Requiem Mass was UTV's Paul Clarke and Julian Simmons as well as actor, John Linehan and former SDLP assembly member Alban Magennis.
Singer Malachi Cush performed during the Mass.
Fr Kieran Creagh said Mrs Holmes' life was her family.
"She had a very strong faith and her big faith was in the Lord, in Our Lady through her Rosary and of course, Padre Pio," he said.
"She loved her Mass".
Fr Creagh said her sudden loss of her husband, Leonard, who suffered a heart attack more than 30 years ago, had been "shocking" for her.
"It had a deep effect on her and no doubt, on all the family," he said.
"She seemed to stay at home more. She kept her family on the straight and narrow. Her life was family.
"Now she enters into eternal life with the family that have gone before her".
