Funeral: Up to 500 VIPs and large numbers of the public are expected to attend the removal service and funeral Mass of former taoiseach Charles J Haughey, in the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney, today and tomorrow.
President Mary McAleese has interrupted her State visit to three African countries to attend the removal and funeral and arrives in Dublin this morning.
She was the first signatory of a book of condolence for Mr Haughey opened in the Irish Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, yesterday. She left Johannesburg for home last evening.
The remaining seats in the church are for the public. Two large TV screens will relay services to people outside the church and in the nearby Le Chéile community hall.
Nearly all current members of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party are expected to attend both ceremonies, while senior judges, members of the Council of State, MEPs, church leaders, local authority members and others are also expected.
Senator Liam Fitzgerald, one of the so-called Gang of Four TDs who tried to oust Charles Haughey as FF leader in 1991, is undecided about attending given his past differences with Mr Haughey.
"I am perplexed as to whether it is appropriate that I should attend. I want to go for a lot of positive, wonderful reasons, but I must seek wiser counsel to guide me to such a decision," he said.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte will not attend the removal as they will be in Brussels for meetings on the margin of the European Council summit. Both will be present on Friday.
Fine Gael Dublin South TD Olivia Mitchell and Kerry South TD Jimmy Deenihan represents Mr Kenny this evening. Labour's Dublin West TD Joan Burton represents Mr Rabbitte and Fine Gael's Kildare TD Bernard Durkan will also be present.
British Ambassador Stewart Eldon represents the British government at the funeral, while a large attendance from other members of the diplomatic corps is also expected.
Former Fine Gael taoiseach Liam Cosgrave will attend the removal and the funeral, while Dr Garret Fitzgerald will attend tomorrow's funeral. He is unable to attend the removal because of prior commitments.
Former taoiseach John Burton, now serving as EU ambassador in Washington, hopes to attend tomorrow's funeral though he is travelling on business in the US.
Former Fianna Fáil taoiseach Albert Reynolds, who is still in hospital for routine tests since last weekend, will not attend the removal though he may attend the funeral if discharged in time. Former president Patrick Hillery, who served with Mr Haughey in Cabinet, will attend removal and funeral. His successor in Áras an Uachtaráin, Mary Robinson, is on business in the US.
Mr Haughey's remains will brought to the mortuary chapel at the Church of Our Lady of Consolation at 11am today, escorted by members of the Defence Forces.
Military police drawn from the 2nd Field Military Police Company, Cathal Brugha Barracks, will drape the tricolour over the coffin, before Naval Service pallbearers remove it from Kinsealy.
Eighteen motorcyclists will escort the cortege from the 2nd Cavalry Squadron, Cathal Brugha Barracks, to the Donnycarney church, where the tricolour will be removed.
The public may file past the coffin today from 11.30am to 4pm to pay their respects. Photographs will not be allowed.
At 5pm Mr Haughey's remains will be brought to the church's main entrance to be formally received and taken to the High Altar. The coffin will be followed by the President and her husband, Dr Martin McAleese, Mr Haughey's immediate family, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ald Catherine Byrne, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tánaiste Mary Harney.
The books of condolence opened in Dublin Castle, the Mansion House, Dublin City Hall, Government Buildings and the church in Donnycarney remain open until tomorrow evening.
RTÉ will cover Mr Haughey's departure from Abbeville at 11am, though the arrival in Donnycarney will not be broadcast to allow privacy for his family at their request.
The church's formal reception of Mr Haughey's remains will be broadcast live at 5pm, as will tomorrow's requiem Mass and burial in St Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton.
Requiem Mass takes place tomorrow midday and will be celebrated by Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Fr Eoin Haughey, brother of the former taoiseach, and concelebrated by Msgr Joseph Quinn of Knock.
Musician Finbarr Furey will play one of the former Taoiseach's favourite pieces, The Lonesome Boatman, while readings will be given by Mr Haughey's son, Seán; his daughter Éimear, and Minister of State Brian Lenihan.
Former senator Tom Fitzgerald, PJ Mara, Siobhán O'Connor, Ciarán Haughey, Brian Dennis, Mary Murphy and former FF Wexford TD Séamus Cullimore will give the Prayers of the Faithful. Seán Haughey will also give a reflection on his father's life, while Áine Uí Laoithe will read Seamus Heaney's The Given Note. Liam O'Flynn will play Port na bPúcaí and Brendan Kennelly will also speak.
After Mass, the funeral cortege will form outside the church. The coffin will be carried at slow march by Naval Service pallbearers via the Malahide Road to the Artane roundabout. The cortege will then drive to St Fintan's cemetery, via Tonlegee Road.
The pallbearers will carry the coffin to the graveside where they will remove the tricolour before the prayer service. Finally, three volleys will be fired over Mr Haughey's grave.
In brief
Books of Condolence
Books of condolence will be open again today and tomorrow at the following locations from 10am: Dublin Castle, the Mansion House, City Hall, Government Buildings, the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney, and at Fianna Fáil headquarters. Flags will be flown at half-mast on all Government buildings until after the funeral.
RTÉ coverage
RTÉ will be covering live the removal and funeral mass of Charles Haughey, today and tomorrow.
At 11am today, RTÉ will broadcast the departure from Abbeville.
That will be followed later today by coverage of the formal reception of Mr Haughey at the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney, at 5pm.
Tomorrow's Requiem Mass will be at noon.
The military escort along the Malahide Road following the mass and the burial service in St Fintan's cemetery will also be broadcast live by RTÉ.
On the web
Follow coverage of the removal of Mr Haughey from Kinsealy to Donnycarney tomorrow on The Irish Times's breaking news service at: www.ireland.com. Readers can also air their views on a special site, featuring reaction and analysis, at: www.ireland.com/focus/haughey
