A priest asking for the tricolour to be removed from the coffin at the funeral of a Defence Forces member is 'strange and sad'.
That's according to the chairperson of the 29th Infantry Battalion Association which covers Cavan, Monaghan and Cootehill. The Irish Times reported that a priest requested for the Irish flag to be removed from a deceased soldier's coffin in Kilkenny in recent days, causing great distress to the family. The Irish Bishops have said the tricolour is permitted to be on the coffin, however confusion has reigned, with some priests not seeing the Bishops' view as a directive.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show this morning, Chairperson of the 29th Infantry Battalion Association, Colm Mahoney, says the tricolour is not just a 'token gesture' at a funeral.
