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Bishop says Frank Carson was the Prime Minister of fun

Bishop says Frank Carson was the Prime Minister of fun

MOURNERS at the funeral of comedian Frank Carson have been told that he should be remembered as the Prime Minister of fun.

Hundreds of people attended Requiem Mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Belfast. The Retired Bishop of Derry, Dr. Edward Daly, who was an old friend of the comedian’s, was the main celebrant.

Bishop Daly told the mourners that Mr. Carson, 85, had always time to help those in need, and had been a tireless worker for charities.

Dr. Daly recalled that when he was appointed as Bishop of Derry in 1974, Frank had sent him a telegram which read: “Congratulations on topping the bill”.

The Bishop said that Mr. Carson, who passed away at his home in Blackpool on February 22 after battling stomach cancer, was “quite simply the Prime Minster of fun”.

One of the family’s floral tributes was a wreath which formed the words ‘Ga Ga’ (see photo above), which is what Mr. Carson’s grandchildren had called him.

Among the mourners were figures from the entertainment industry, including Lenny Henry, Roy Walker and Stan Boardman. 

Following the Mass, the cortege stopped at St. Anne’s Church of Ireland Cathedral where a short tribute and prayer was said. The remains were taken on what was Mr. Carson’s last journey round his beloved Belfast. 

From St. Anne’s the cortege travelled to Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church which is close to where Mr. Carson had been born. A wreath was laid on the spot where the his family home had once stood. From there the cortege made its way through Belfast City Centre before proceeding to Milltown Cemetery for burial. 

For two days before the funeral, fans had the opportunity to pay theirs respects as Mr. Carson’s remains reposed in O’Kane’s Funeral Home in Belfast’s Donegall Street.

Hundreds of mouners had paid their last respects when the remains reposed at St. Kentigern’s Church in Blackpool before being brought to Belfast.

Meanwhile, tributes to Mr. Carson were paid from across the entertainment world.

The Belfastman was a comic legend who had been entertaining audiences for more than 50 years.

He was born into a family of Italian descent and grew up in an area of North Belfast which was known as Little Italy.

After working as a plasterer and an electrician, Mr. Carson joined the Parachute Regiment in the 1950s and saw service in the Middle East. But his talent as a comedian was always in the background and after his army service he began to concentrate on entertainment.

His breakthrough came after winning the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks. This was followed by a spot on the hit show of the 1970s The Comedians in which he appeared along with the cream of the country’s comic talent.

With his catchphrases That’s a cracker and It’s the way I tell ’em, Mr. Carson was loved by audiences across the country. For many people in Ireland he was not only a much-loved funnyman but was also regarded, during the Troubles, as an unofficial ambassador for the country at a time when the negativity of the violence dominated thinking.

Mr. Carson always had time in his busy schedule to help charities with fund-raising efforts. His tireless work in this area was recognised by Pope John Paul II in 1987 when he made the comedian a Knight of St. Gregory, the Catholic Church’s highest honour. 

He had been battling stomach cancer and passed away at his home in Blackpool surrounded by his family. In a statement the family said he had “set off for his final gig”. The statement continued: “He went peacefully at his home in Blackpool surrounded by his greatest fans — his extended family. We will be taking him home to Belfast to lay him to rest and celebrate his joyful life.

“It’s quieter down here now. God help them up there!”

View the Passedaway.com Notice for Mr. Frank Carson.

To see a Frank Carson performance, click here.

 

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