The funeral took place yesterday (Wednesday 11 August 2021) of Alexander Randal Mark McDonnell, Earl of Antrim, from the Glenarm Castle Estate, County Antrim.
The much respected Lord Antrim passed away peacefully on 21 July 2021 after a short illness.
Lord Antrim had an illustrious career as Keeper of Conservation for the Tate Gallery in London, and for many years was the proud custodian of Glenarm Castle.
The Earl was much respected and very well known by the Glenarm Castle Estate tenants and visitors, and among the East Antrim seaside village community, who simply knew him as ‘Alexander’, and described him as a ‘gentleman’.
Father Eugene O’Hagan delivered the funeral homily, and said:
“Speaking on behalf of my fellow clergy gathered here in this Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, which owes a large part of its artistic patrimony to the generosity and artistic talent of Alexander’s mother, Angela, and especially on behalf of Fr McKay, the Parish Priest of this Parish of Tickmacreevan, I offer the sincere sympathies and condolences of parishioners, neighbours, friends, and people near and far to the McDonnell family and the family of the Glenarm Estate, to friends gathered here, to those who cannot join us because of current Covid restrictions but who are with us in spirit and, indeed, those to whom this service will be available on a digital platform.”
After the service the Earl of Antrim was laid to rest in a private family plot on the hills over looking the Glenarm Estate.
