THE FUNERAL MASS of former Government Minister Mary O’Rourke will be held later in Co Westmeath.

O’Rourke, a well-known commentator who served in multiple Ministerial posts, died last Thursday aged 87.

She was born in Athlone, Co Westmeath, in 1937 and worked as a secondary school teacher before she began her political career.

O’Rourke came from a political family – her father Patrick served as a TD, while her brother Brian Lenihan served as a Minister and Tánaiste.

She was the aunt of Brian Lenihan Junior and Conor Lenihan – both of whom were Government Ministers. 

Like many current TDs she began her career at local level – she was elected to Athlone Urban District Council in 1974 and later in Westmeath County Council. 

She had also served as a senator, but it was for her career in the Dáil that she was best known, having first been elected to Dáil Éireann in 1982. 

O’Rourke was widowed in January 2001, following the death of her husband, Enda, and she is survived by her two sons, Aengus and Feargal.

Her funeral Mass will take place at 12pm in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Coosan, Co Westmeath.

The funeral Mass, which can be livestreamed here, will be followed by her burial in Coosan cemetery.

Following her passing, Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin expressed “deep sadness” at the loss of his party’s former deputy leader, who he described as “a cherished colleague and friend”. 

“Mary was a remarkable woman who made an outstanding contribution to Irish public life and to the modernisation of Ireland,” said Martin.

“As a member of a great political family, her contributions, alongside those of her father, brother, and nephews, left a lasting impact on our society.”

Martin said her political career was marked by “her intelligence, versatility, and unwavering dedication” and that outside of politics, O’Rourke was “a commanding and engaging figure – an insightful observer of both political life and societal trends”.

Taoiseach Simon Harris meanwhile said “Mary was a force to be reckoned with, both in terms of political nous and in terms of being a magnetic personality that drew people in”.

President Michael D Higgins said “Mary had a shrewd and magnetic approach to politics and politicians” and was “a deeply committed politician dedicated to serving the public”.

“She will be much missed by many both in her native Athlone and beyond,” the President said.