In pictures: Stars gather to bid farewell to Dickie Rock at showband legend's funeral in Dublin
Mourners gathered in Dickie Rock's native Cabra on Thursday morning to bid farewell to one of “Ireland’s greatest legends"
A number of well-known figures from the music and entertainment world gathered in north Dublin on Thursday for the funeral of showband legend Dickie Rock.
The much-loved singer died last week at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin aged 88.
Rock was the frontman of the Miami Showband in the 1960s and early 1970s. The band had seven Irish number one singles and their hit song To Whom It Concerns became the theme song of The Late Late Show.
A funeral mass for Rock was held at the Church of the Most Precious Blood in his childhood neighbourhood of Cabra on Thursday morning, with morners lining the streets to bid farewell to the Miami Showband icon.
Among those in attendance at Rock's funeral service were his children Jason, John, Richard, Sarah-Jane, and Peter, as well as his brother and sisters and grandchildren.
Also paying their respects this morning were broadcasters Ronan Collins, Joe Duffy and Aonghus McaNally, Sinn Féin leader and Cabra native Mary Lou McDonald and members of the Miami Showband.
Rock's funeral cortège was carried inside the Church of the Most Precious Blood to the sound of the singer's hit song Come Back to Stay.
The funeral service was presided over by Fr Paul Thornton and Rock's close friend of 60 years Fr Brian D'Arcy, who told mourners they were gathered to lay to rest “the last of the legends”.
See pictures from an emotional day below
A mourner holds the mass booklet pictured this morning at the Church of the Most Precious Blood for the funeral of Dickie Rock
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)1 of 21
The mass booklet pictured this morning at the Church of the Most Precious Blood for the funeral of Dickie Rock
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)2 of 21
A large crowd of mourners pictured this morning at the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Cabra for the funeral of Dickie Rock
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)3 of 21![]()
From left, George Hunter, former manager of Dickie Rock, Murty Quinn who performed with Dickie Rock, Rowland Soper, who wrote Dickie Rock's Eurovision song, Joe Duffy and Aonghus McAnally pictured this morning at the Church of the Most Precious Blood for the funeral of Dickie Rock
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)4 of 21![]()
The remains arrive in a Rolls Royce hearse pictured this morning at the Church of the Most Precious Blood for the funeral of Dickie Rock
(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)5 of 21
