UP to one thousand people turned out to say a final farewell to veteran Donegal businessman and politician Sean McEniff.
As well as a large contingent from the Fianna Fail party, many people with no political affiliations turned out to pay their final respects to the husband and father in Bundoran.
His funeral mass at St Patrick’s Church was told that Sean McEniff did not only help his political colleagues but anybody he could help in any way.
Mr McEniff, who was 81, had been ill for six months and died last Friday.
He was Ireland’s longest-serving politician.
In his homily, Canon Ramon Munster paid tribute to Mr McEniff on many fronts including his support for the local parish, community and tourism.
“Sean served his town and his county with an unselfish attitude, he certainly gave that others might receive and prosper,” he said.
The Fianna Fáil councillor was first elected to Donegal County Council in 1967 and was re-elected seven times, most recently in 2014.
A hotelier, he was a former director of Bord Fáilte and held the position of chairman of North West Tourism for 20 years. He was named Donegal Person of the Year in 1996.
Among them was Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who said on Friday that “Seán was a proud Donegal man and played an integral role in the promotion and development of business and tourism in the county and the northwest region”.
A final fitting tribute was paid to the man known for his love of the seaside town where he was born and raised and lived his life was paid when Kathleen Fitzgerald and the Screaming Orphans sang Beautiful Bundoran at his graveside.
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