Nobel laureate and poet Seamus Heaney's last words to his wife were "don't be afraid", one of his sons has revealed at his funeral.

Family and friends joined contemporaries and dignitaries of the world renowed writer and hundreds of mourners at a church in south Dublin t o pay last respects to one of Ireland's literary greats.

The internationally acclaimed 74-year-old writer died unexpectedly in hospital on Friday after a short illness.

Mourners at his funeral at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook - near where the Northern Ireland-born poet made his home - were led by his widow Marie and children Michael, Christopher and Catherine Ann.

Michael spoke briefly at the end of the service to thank those who cared for his father and those who have offered support and praise since his death.

"His last few words in a text message he wrote to my mother minutes before he passed away were in his beloved Latin and they read - 'nolle timere' ('don't be afraid')," he said.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Ali Hewson and Bono attending Seamus Heaney's funeral in Donnybrook President of Ireland Michael D Higgins Collins Dublin, Gareth Chaney Former Pogue's frontman Shane MacGowan attends the funeral of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook in south Dublin PA The Edge Collins Dublin, Gareth Chaney U2 star Adam Clayton Collins Dublin, Gareth Chaney Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore Brian Keenan at the funeral of Seamus Heaney Collins Dublin, Gareth Chaney Mary McAleese and husband Martin President Michael D Higgins Taoiseach Enda Kenny Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams Seamus Heaney's wife Marie with their daughter, Catherine Ann A mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney PA Family flowers on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney before his funeral at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook in south Dublin PA Irish Poet Peter Fallon attends the funeral of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney PA RTE presenter John Bowman Collins Photos. Mike Murphy PA Marian Finucane Collins Photos. Gay Byrne with his wife Kathleen Watkins PA Archbishop Diarmuid Martin PA Seamus Heaney / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ali Hewson and Bono attending Seamus Heaney's funeral in Donnybrook

Irish president MIchael D Higgins, himself a published poet, attended along with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former president Mary McAleese and her husband Martin.

Heaney's body will travel the 125 miles north to be buried this evening in his native Bellaghy in Co Derry - a village that inspired so much of his work.

Paul Muldoon, a teacher, poet and friend of Heaney, gave the eulogy following the service.

"We remember the beauty of Seamus Heaney as a bard and today in particular in his being," he said.

His lifelong friend and poetry contemporary Michael Longley were among the mourners, along with musician Paul Brady and U2 stars Bono - with his wife Ali Hewson - Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton.

Heaney has been hailed as the greatest poet Ireland produced since William Butler Yeats.

Former US president Bill Clinton has been among those paying tribute, describing Heaney as "our finest poet of the rhythms of ordinary lives" and a "powerful voice for peace".

A hastily arranged celebration of the poet's life in Belfast's Lyric theatre on Saturday night was packed to capacity as the audience was treated to poignant recitals of his best known works.

Books of condolences are open in Derry, Belfast and Dublin.

Mr Kenny has said it would take Heaney himself to describe the depth of loss Ireland felt over his death.

The 1995 Nobel prize-winner was born in April 1939, the eldest of nine children, on a small farm called Mossbawn near Bellaghy, and his upbringing often played out in the poetry he wrote in later years.

The citation for the award praised Heaney "for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past".

Chief celebrant of the Mass, Monsignor Brendan Devlin, opened the service with the remark that Heaney might have liked to have his funeral celebrated by someone with a Northern accent.

He summed up why the poet was held in such high regard by people from all walks of life.

"He could speak to the King of Sweden, an Oxford don or a south Derry neighbour with the directness of a common and shared humanity," he said.

Monsignor Devlin, a family friend originally from Co Tyrone, celebrated the mass with Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Eamonn Walsh, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson and Mark Patrick Hederman from Glenstal Abbey.

The priest said it was not the place to embark on an undue eulogy or praise but went on to describe his friend as a brilliant literary critic and articulator of years of pain in Northern Ireland.

He told the mourners that the island of Ireland feels the deprivation of the loss of Heaney.

A posy of flowers from the garden of the Heaney family home in Sandymount and a book of some of Heaney's works were offered as gifts during the service.

The Mass was ended with a reading of one of Heaney's poems, The Given Note, from his second published collection.

Politicians who attended the service also included Eamon Gilmore, Ireland's deputy prime minister, senior Sinn Fein figures Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, and the leader of the opposition in Ireland, Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin.

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