Bean Uí Chribín, postmistress at Santry, north Dublin, until her death at the age of 84, was a religious campaigner, community worker, foster parent, Gaelgeoir and Irish culture proponent.
A composer, she also established a choir, Óg Eagras Naomh Papain, whose members sang at the requiem Mass sung in Latin, the traditional Roman rite.
Bean Uí Chribín was pre-deceased by her husband Gus and son Micheál and chief mourners at the high Mass were her surviving sons Gearóid and Colm, and daughters Áine, Íde and Úna and extended family members.
At the altar, the coffin was draped in a deep blue cover with a wreath of white flowers from her family.
Chief celebrant and parish priest Fr Gerard Deighan concelebrated the Mass with deacon Fr Geoffrey Nevin and subdeacon Fr Michael Cahill, all dressed in black outer vestments or chasubles.
In his homily, Fr Deighan highlighted the corporal works of mercy: “Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; visit those in prison; and bury the dead.”
He also listed the spiritual works of mercy: “Admonish sinners; instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; comfort the sorrowful; bear wrongs patiently; forgive injuries; and pray for the living and the dead.”
He said “offering the message of Christ will always bring out resistance” and he highlighted the works “to bear wrongs patiently and to forgive all injuries”.
He said a Christian had to bear all wrongs patiently and “must bear deep love for others no matter what wrong”.
He called on mourners to “remember the faith which Míne Bean Uí Chribín taught so clearly and so steadfastly and tried to live to the full”.
There was beauty and joy in that faith “that shines out in the music which she both directed and composed, the music we have at this Mass”.
In Irish he said: “Cinnte, ní bheidh a leithéad arís ann” (there will never be her like again) and added: “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam uasal dílis” (may her soul be at God’s right hand).
He advised mourners that in the traditional Latin Mass, Communion could only be taken on the tongue and recipients should kneel unless unable to do so.
Mourners included Santry-based ex-lord mayor of Dublin Cllr Andrew Montague, members of An Post, representatives of the Department of Social Protection, and representatives of sporting, community and church organisations.
After the Mass, family members carried the coffin from the church to the hearse, which was lined with wreaths from an assortment of organisations, State agencies and friends, including Fingal ladies football team, Youth Defence, Santry post office, the Kennelly family and staff of Kennelly’s hardware, “the economic planning section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine”, and “Una, Séamus agus clann Mhic Mhathúna”.
Bean Uí Chribín was buried at Dardistown Cemetery.