Funeral of Athlone District Court judge to take place today

Athlone-based solicitors, court staff, and Gardai are among those who will be in attendance when the funeral of Judge Seamus Hughes takes place in Westport this afternoon (Friday).

Judge Hughes, who had been the sitting district court judge assigned to Athlone, Mullingar and Longford since 2011, died on Tuesday after a long battle with illness. He was 69 years of age.

The loving husband of Maria, and father of Colin, Emmet, Donal and Sarah, his Requiem Mass will take place 3.30pm in St Mary's Church, Westport. The service will be live-streamed here.

There were extensive tributes to Judge Hughes at this week's sitting of Athlone District Court. Judge Bernadette Owens spoke about the tremendous courage, determination and fortitude he had shown in order to continue working for as long as he could during his illness.

Judge Owens replaced Judge Hughes for most of the time that he was missing due to illness and said one constant she had found when dealing with his files and cases was that he always tried to give the person before him a chance.

* For more on the sad passing of Judge Seamus Hughes, see next week's Westmeath Independent