Kathleen Watkins was planning project for the homeless just days before she died, her funeral mass hears

Kathleen Watkins had planned to get involved in a project to help the homeless just days before she died, her funeral mass revealed.

The wife of the late Gay Byrne died on November 7, just days after her beloved husband’s fifth anniversary.

At her funeral mass held on Tuesday at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook, south Dublin, mourners remembered the talented musician as a lady who was full of grace, gentleness and love.

READ MORE: Kathleen Watkins daughter says her mother was 'ready to go to dad'

READ MORE: Kathleen Watkins - author, musician, and wife of Gay Byrne - dies aged 90

Her daughter Suzy Byrne addressed funeral-goers, including Captain Paul O’Donnell, aide-de-camp to President Michael D Higgins and Commandant Claire Mortimer, representing the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

She said: "Her life was dominated by four words, family, friendship, faith and fun. Depending on who you were, Mum had many names.

"She was formerly Kathleen, Kit to friends and family, Kay to others. Dad only referred to her as Kathleen when talking about her to others. To him, she was affectionately Kassie.

"And when the conversation got more serious, he called her Kay. To myself and Crona she was mum.

"In 2004 all of those names ceremoniously dropped and to everyone she became Nana Kit. Mum lived a life that spanned 90 years, a life lived through all the events that have shaped this country.

"It is this wonderful life that we will celebrate today, a life truly lived to the full, a woman who developed all of her talents, who remained interested and learning until last Thursday, she left us at her favourite time – dawn."

Suzy said she was "a lady who simply never grew old", telling mourners how in recent years she reminisced a lot about her childhood and growing up in Saggart, Dublin.

Suzy told how her mother took the "lion's share of the parenting" while Gay worked as their lives were "hectic" as "demands on them were relentless".

She said: "Mum was first and foremost, wife and mother. The world of our parents was hectic. The demands on them were relentless. Her support of dad, unwavering. The continuous banter between them was that of a couple who loved each other dearly.

"Our father, Gay, quite simply adored mum. He deeply appreciated her support of him. The haven she created for him at home and the lion's share she took of our parenting.

"She chose dad, myself and Crona, taking herself out of showbusiness, a decision which would shape our family life and our childhood when the time was right and she felt we were old enough.

"Dad actively encouraged her to, as they called it, dabble in broadcasting again.

"He was so interested to hear the people she met while filming in faces and places, also of the small theatre companies and artists she met during her eight years on the Arts Council."

Mourners included RTE stars Joe Duffy and Ray D'Arcy, former TV icon Mike Murphy, Marty Whelan and Mary Kennedy.

Laughter bellowed from the church as Suzy said they often teased their mother for being "posh".

She also recalled calling Gay and Kathleen while they were in their car to announce she was pregnant with their first grandchild, Cian, saying Kathleen was "besotted" with having a grandson and Gay "never got a look-in".

"She was besotted from that day, my poor father cast aside. He never got a look-in again," she said.

Suzy almost broke down in tears as she told mourners that there was "no day without her in it".

"Today, we remember with love and gratitude our mother, our Nana Kit and your friend. Mom had great faith. She knew without question that she would be reunited with dad when she left us spiritually. She believed, first and foremost in love, spiritually other. If you have love, you will have joy with those you have enough for us.

"She will live forever in our lives. We will take her kindness, her optimism, her belief in the value of friendship, and continue to live these every day. Today, I say goodbye to my mother, who became my closest friend. I know no day without her in it.

"How lucky I am to be able to say that God granted her peace to death at the end of an incredible life, she gave us all such joy and love. We will have that forever for mum, this mass we will now celebrate was so important to her.

"I ask you now, whether you are of faith or not, to enjoy the words and the beautiful music we have prepared, because it is full of joy and love in life. We can't ask for more than that," she added.

Later during the funeral mass, Father Leonard Maloney, who was also a family friend, revealed Mrs Watkins was arranging by text to be part of a project for the homeless with Sister Stan and Focus Ireland just days before she died.

He said: "In hospital just days before she died, we are told that Kathleen was texting about getting involved in a project for the homeless with Sister Stan and Focus Ireland.

"Kathleen was 90, only recently, but there was something of the eternal child in her that spoke to us all. You can't be a successful author of children's books, as she was in the later years of her life, without being able to draw on and befriend the child within her love of a wide range of poets of poetry was and is the hallmark of a person who knew the depths of human experience and the compassion and empathy that this could evoke.

"She was a woman of empathy and compassion, and above all, there was Gay, her beloved spouse of over 50 years. You know the Carlsberg ad, Carlsberg don't do, I'm going to riff off on that a bit and say Ireland doesn't do monarchies. But if they did, I do think Kathleen and Gay would have been contenders for the crowns.

"They were part of the public scene in Ireland for decades, and they were loved. Both of them did so many events together."

Second daughter Crona Byrne read a prayer at the funeral mass, while her grandchildren Cian, Sadbh, Kate and Saoirse read out Prayers of the Faithful.

Her grandson Cian also spoke at her funeral mass, describing his grandmother as "special and cherished".

"Lucky where we all have the gift of her life and friendship. We take this opportunity today to thank Nana Kit for her time, for her joy, for her unconditional and unwavering love and support, for our memories, and most of all, for our friendship.

"I’ll miss her more than words could ever say on reflection, an extract from Benedictus by John O'Donohue, whom Nana Kit loved."

Granddaughter Sadbh played the harp in tribute to her grandmother at the service. A private burial service followed.

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