There was a massive turnout this morning at Mount Argus church in Harold's Cross, Dublin for the funeral of legendary Irish music manager Frank Murray, who died just before Christmas. Beginning in deep sadness, the day became a wonderful celebration of a life well lived.
Among those paying tribute to Frank, who first came to prominence in the ‘70s as an integral part of the Thin Lizzy team and went on to manage The Pogues, were his wife Ferga and four children, Shannon, Emmett, Dara and Aaron; his partner Kay and her son Seamus; Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke; Cait O’Riordain, Brian Downey, Bob Geldof, Philomena Lynott, Graham Cohen, Pete Briquette, John Carney, Jim Sheridan, Simon Carmody, Brush Shiels, Miriam O’Callaghan, Anne Doyle, Robert McGrattan, Jim Fitzpatrick, Tim Booth, Guggi, Gavin Friday, Mundy, Smiley Bolger, Patrick Bergin, Aidan Gillen, Noel Pearson, Pat Savage of OJK, Liam Teeling, Pete Holidai,Gavin Glass, Binzer Brennan, Ian Wilson, Stephen Rea, Kevin and Muriel Thornton, BP Fallon, Caroline Taraskevics and her husband Dave, Lance Hogan, Suzanne Doyle, Stano, Brian Palm, Tom Collins, Aidan Cosgrave, Donal Scannell, The Mighty Stef, Eamonn McCann and Goretti Horgan, Barry Gaster , Dave Pennefather and Deirdre McMahon, as well as assorted members of Horslips, The Golden Horde and An Emotional Fish. Also in attendance from Hot Press were Niall Stokes, Máirín Sheehy, Roisín Dwyer and Olaf Tyaransen.
Performing musical tributes to Frank were Finbar Furey, Pete Cummins, Ger Kiely, The Lost Brothers, Mary Stokes, who sang 'The Foggy Dew' beautifully, Sean Boylan, Francie Conway, Philip Donnelly and Glen Hansard, who performed a spellbinding version of The Pogues classic ‘A Rainy Night In Soho’. The ceremony finished with a superb rendition of 'The Parting Glass' by Pheiilim Drew.
Eulogies were read by Frank’s children Shannon, Emmett, Dara and Aaron while his brother, Brian, read ‘Remembering Frank’. Frank's brother Pat was master of ceremonies and the service was conducted by Father Joe and Fr. Jimmy Teeling (a brother of Liam).
There were tears and laughter too as some of the great Frank Murray tales were recounted, both in and outside of Mount Argus. The ceremony, in the crematorium in nearby Mount Jerome ended with Bob MArley's 'Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright'.
The end of a very moving occasion, it was a poignant ‘goodbye’ to one of the true Irish music industry greats whose integrity, wide smile, passion for what he did and ability to spin a yarn will never be forgotten.
Afterwards, people repaired to McGrattan's to talk, swap stories and share a few scoops.

Frank Murray is pictured on the right with Niall Stokes and Bob Geldof.