They turned out in their hundreds, packing the pews at St John’s Church, many standing at the back.
It’s a rare moment to see so many people willing to pay their final respects to someone, but it was somewhat expected for Eamonn Langton who died on Wednesday morning, peacefully, at home.
To many he was a businessman, publican, hotelier, a supporter of others’ enterprises and sporting endeavours (especially hurling) as well as all things Kilkenny and a lover of music. Since June of this year, he was also known as a Freeman of Kilkenny city.
Cllr John Coonan, who’d proposed Eamonn for that honour, was joined by Mayor Andrew McGuinness, Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Joe Malone and other city councillors, all in official robes, with members of the local authority executive led by CEO Lar Power.
There was representation too from the GAA, business community, Vintners Association, social groups and the Dáil (where Eamonn was mentioned by An Taoiseach MIcheál Martin earlier this week).
And while he was a significant figure for all of them, and to those he was privately so generous, the man born in 1948 to a family already known in business and sporting circles, meant much more to those closest to him.
Family too was Eamonn’s heartbeat and fittingly all of those he loved most were key to his Funeral Mass today at St John’s Church where he’d marked other life milestones, including his First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
Trish, his wife of more than five decades, placed the Book of Gospels on his coffin, daughter Tracey adding the Crucifix before son Conor outlined the significance of the symbols of his life which were brought to the alter by his five youngest grandchildren with Conor saying “Dad loved his Grandchildren more than anything else in the world”. One by one they walked up the aisle, between them carrying a framed photo of all eight grandchildren, a hurl signed by his uncle Jim Langton, his Freedom of the City scroll, a Langton pint glass and a music record.
Older grandchildren, Ned & Pia, lead the readings while Eamonn’s sister Mary with sister-in-law Martha carried out Offertory Procession duties and cousin Fr Bernard Costigan was among the ten priests officiating.
Lead Celebrant, Parish Priest Fr Dan Carroll, called Eamonn a ‘kind Christian gentleman, one who was generous to a tee”, “an entrepreneur, innovator and dedicated family man, somebody not simply good at one thing, but excelling at many”.
Fr Carroll also noted how Eamonn had “made John Street brighter and better simply by being a part of it” before adding “John Street and all of us here have lost one of our great characters”.
He also noted how Eamonn was a man known for his warmth and his welcome, remarking “what remains is everything he gave, which lives on in all he met”.
Eldest son Eddie in the Eulogy thanked all for their support especially during Eamonn’s illness and in particular his final days at home.
He told those gathered of the family’s Christmas Day routine, ‘magical times’ and everyday gatherings at their homes on John Street and Lavistown, of the legendary hosting his parents were famous for, of Eamonn’s love of being a publican, how becoming a Freeman of the City was ‘an immensely proud moment” and how he was so embedded in the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team that at one point his then young children thought he was actually on the panel!
Eddie wished to do justice to the thousands of stories involving his Dad, in one short speech he managed to achieve that, but called on all “Before today is out, think of your Eamonn story and let it put a smile on your face’.
To a backdrop of applause and Frank Sinatra’s My Way, Eamonn was led out of the church. From there he was taken on his final journey along his beloved John Street where the cortege stopped outside the venues that bear his name before moving onto Foulkstown Cemetery where he was laid to rest as The Rose of Mooncoin was played.
