Funeral Service: Lord Rossmore
Photographer Lord Rossmore briefly hit the headlines twice. First in 1970, when he announced his engagement to Marianne Faithfull. And again in 1981, when his house at Rossmore, County Monaghan, was burnt down by the IRA during the Bobby Sands hunger strike.
Having helped Marianne with her addiction problem, Paddy Rossmore set up the Coolmine Therapeutic Community near Dublin in 1973. Still going strong, it has saved hundreds of lives.
He chose to be buried in a wicker coffin in an unmarked grave in a green ceremony at Bath Natural Burial Meadow.
Typically self-effacing to the end, Paddy Rossmore lies next to his sister Brig in a field near Midford in the Cotswolds.
It was wet and windy. The celebrant,
Norman Bowman, struggled to make himself heard to 40 friends and relations on a grassy hillside.
Jason Rouse played Sliabh Na Mban on antique bagpipes played by a previous Lord Rossmore.
Nicola Howard, Paddy’s niece, read a traditional Irish blessing: ‘May the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back.’
Sarah Williams, another niece, read from 1 Kings 19; Ev Hesketh from Auguries of Innocence by William Blake; and Matthew Slater from The Third Policeman by Flann O’brien. Jonny Berliner sang Jerusalem by William Blake.
Paddy’s daughter Charlotte Westenra read Edward Lear’s poem The Pelican Chorus. Catherine Fitzgerald read a reflection on Paddy by Sally Phipps.
Kevin Trainor read Patrick Kavanagh’s poem Primrose. And Paddy’s son Benedict Westenra read two dreams noted down by Paddy on the morning he died.
As Paddy’s nephew, I was honoured to be invited to give the eulogy for my favourite uncle. I’ll spare you the details but I concluded by saying, ‘So farewell, your lordship, you were an example to us all. We all miss you more than I can say.’ JAMES HUGHES-ONSLOW