'QUEEN of the Travellers' Violet Crumlish was laid to rest in her native Armagh yesterday after a battle with bowel cancer.
Owen and Violet Crumlish. (Source: Facebook)Mrs Crumlish, 59, who was based in Bristol with her husband Owen, was a mother of 13 children.
However, Mrs Crumlish returned to her home in Northern Ireland when she became seriously ill.
A funeral was carried out yesterday at St Peter's Church in Lurgan, Co Armagh.
Streets were closed off in the town as Mrs Crumlish's white coffin made its way to the church in a horse-drawn carriage.
Mourning family and friends followed behind, some on foot while others arrived in a series of black limousines.
Her husband Owen sat atop the horse-drawn carriage, leading the funeral march for his wife.
Scroll down for more pictures....
The funeral was at St Peter's Church in Lurgan. (Source: Jonathan Porter/Press Eye)Two flatbed lorries joined the procession, each carrying floral tributes for the 'Lady Diana' of the Travelling community.
Included in the tributes was a Chanel handbag, a caravan, a bingo board, iPhone, lipstick, a single cigarette, a bottle of wine, a Patsy Cline record and a tricolour shamrock.
The funeral process was lead by Owen Crumlish, who sat atop his wife's funeral carriage. (Source: Jonathan Porter/Press Eye)During the requiem Mass, Parish Priest Fr Joseph Wozniak described her as a "very gentle and kind person."
"She never criticised anybody and was fondly described by family members as the Traveller Queen," he said.
"A brilliant mother and grandmother [...] like a mother to many in the Travelling community," he added.
At the graveside, doves were released into the air as Mrs Crumlish's white coffin was lowered into the ground.
Family and friends dropped yellow roses onto the coffin lid while singing the Whitney Houston song, I Will Always You Love You.
The floral tributes to Violet Crumlish. (Source: Jonathan Porter/Press Eye)Before the funeral, her son Alex said his mother was "a queen and a princess," he said, "she is like Lady Diana to the Travellers."
"She is good to the poor and the sick - she is highly respected,” he said.
