He has “run his race for Ireland” - Laurence Ginnell TD is laid to rest in Co. Westmeath
Westmeath, 2 May 1923 - The remains of the anti-treaty TD, Mr. Laurence Ginnell, were today interred in Delvin, Co. Westmeath.
Amongst the many tributes that have been paid to the Independent TD for Westmeath were those by members of Westmeath Co. Council, at a meeting of which Mr. Ginnell was described as a rare man, a model man and a gentleman. ‘Man’s race is never run until he is dead’, remarked Mr. Lennon. ‘Ginnell is dead, but he had run the race for Ireland., - and won. May he rest in peace.’
In a message to Mr. Ginnell’s widow, Mr. Eamon de Valera noted that her ‘noble husband died in harness, and became one of the most indefatigable workers for Ireland.’
The remains of Mr. Ginnell, who died in a Washington Hotel on April 17, last night arrived back in Ireland, having been removed from the Church of Corpus Christi on Maiden Lane, London, overnight before being transferred to Euston Station en route to Dun Laoghaire.
Mr. Ginnell’s coffin, draped in the tricolour, was conveyed from Dun Laoghaire to Westland Row by train and onwards to the Carmelite Church on Whitefriars Street. The coffin was accompanied from the station to the church by members of Cumann na mBan who walked in uniform beside the hearse in a guard of honour.
Accompanying the remains were the widow of Mr. Ginnell, his brother Mr James Ginnell, Mrs and Miss Pearse, Madam O’Rahilly, Mrs. Cathal Brugha, Miss Ffrench Mullen, Mrs. Seán T. O’Kelly, Mrs. Dudley Edwards, Mrs. Fergus O’Connor and Mrs. Robert. Among those to send wreaths were Mr. Eamon de Valera and Mr. Art O’Brien.
A Major Kelly from the United States was said to represent Mr de Valera at the interment of the Mr. Ginnell’s remains in Co. Westmeath, at which Dr. Kathleen Lynn, along with one or two TDs and Mr. Patrick White, ex-Nationalist MP, was reported to have attended.
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
