By Irishexaminer.com Neil Michael
鈥淏ut what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart, and that is what made the man.鈥
Brother Patrick Flynn added: 鈥淜evin, thank you for your good example you gave us Capuchins and also to the people of Ireland for inspiring us to be kinder, more thoughtful and more generous to our poor sisters and brothers who live among us.鈥
His homily received a round of applause from mourners packed into the Church of St Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin 7.
They included President Michael D Higgins, the Dublin Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, and Commandant Joe Glennon, Aide de Camp representing Taoiseach Miche谩l Martin and T谩naiste Simon Harris.
Mourners at the service, which was celebrated by Capuchin Franciscan priest-friar Brother Richard Hendrick, also heard Br Kevin鈥檚 motto was 鈥淒o it, damn it鈥.
Brother Patrick said: 鈥淗e couldn’t understand why our country couldn’t solve this problem (of poverty). You see, he was the kind of man that didn’t see problems.
鈥淗e only saw challenges. His attitude, our motto was, do it, damn it.
He was never afraid to speak his mind, and he didn’t worry if he upset people and the government or anybody else.
鈥淗e was a voice speaking loudly and clearly in the name of God’s poor and our poor. He was a tireless advocate for those with no voice.
鈥淗e was at one with his people, reaching out with his loving, generous, compassionate heart. He was our conscience, reminding us of our obligation to support and help our sisters and brothers who are caught in the poverty trap with no way out unless we bend down to lift him up.
鈥淗e was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor.鈥
Originally from Enniskeane, West Cork, Brother Kevin founded the day centre for homeless people on Bow Street in Dublin in 1969.
He became and remained synonymous with serving Dublin鈥檚 poor at a centre that today provides food and shelter to an average of 800 people each day.
When he retired at the age of 87 in August 2022, he said he planned to leave Dublin and return to what he described as 鈥渢he most beautiful county in Ireland鈥 – his native Cork.
Despite this, he made no secret of his fondness for Dublin, and boasted of being 鈥渁 great Dubs supporter鈥.
Mourners heard he received many awards and honors over the years for his work in the day centre, including Freedom of the City of Dublin.
But they also heard he 鈥渘ever took these honours too seriously鈥.
Brother Patrick said: 鈥淗is focus was always on other people. He wanted to help other people.
He was really good at spotting people who were in distress and gently taking them under his wing. It was a gift that he excelled in.
鈥淐ountless men and women today would say that Kevin saved their lives.鈥
Mourners were also told that although he rarely spoke about them he had had 鈥渉uge鈥 health issues of his own for more than 40 years. He was one of the first people in the country to have open heart surgery.
鈥淗e never made much of his sickness through all the years he was in and out of hospital,鈥 Brother Patrick said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that he lived to his 91st year. It’s simply a miracle.鈥
To laughter, he added: 鈥淎 story he told me himself was that one day he met his surgeon who had performed the surgery on his heart and he looked at Kevin and he said to him, don’t tell me you’re still alive.鈥