Thousands of tearful fans have gathered to say goodbye to Father Ted star Brendan Grace today.

The 68-year-old comedian died last week in hospital following a short battle with lung cancer. He was surrounded by his wife Eileen and their four adult children when he went "peacefully".

The Irish star is being laid to rest in a star-studded funeral at the Church of St Nicholas of Myra in Dublin.

Brendan, who found international fame as Father Fintan Stack in the hit comedy about a bunch of inept priests, had previously told friends exactly what he wanted for his funeral.

Brendan Grace with his wife Eileen in a 2012 photoshoot (
Image:
Irish Mirror)
The coffin was carried through the streets (
Image:
michelledevane/Twitter)

Fr Brian Darcy told mourners: "As long as a person's memory lives and as long as we live, Brendan Grace will never die because all of us have enthusiastic, brilliant and long-lasting, life-lasting and life-changing memories of the wonderful man that he was - the humanity of the man, the generosity of the man, the goodness of the man."

Among his plans were to be sung down the aisle with a rendition of The Dublin Saunter by the Forget-Me-Not choir, and for his close friends Paddy Cole and Red Hurley to perform music during the ceremony.

Red will sing the theme from Love Story, which he also performed at Brendan and Grace's wedding in 1973.

Speaking to the Irish Independent before the funeral, impresario and good friend George Hunter revealed Brendan was deeply spiritual.

"He was convinced he'd see his ma and da shortly. He talked about that," Hunter said.

Mourners gathered to pay their respects (
Image:
michelledevane/Twitter)
The turnout was huge (
Image:
michelledevane/Twitter)

"[He told us that] while he couldn't say, 'I'll see yiz again, lads', he would say, 'I'll see yiz somewhere'."

Hunter went on: "He had a great faith... I'll miss him - 45 years I know him."

Outside the church today, Paddy Cole told the Irish Times that Brendan was always a "consummate professional, a great guy to work with and a great guy in the business".

He went on: "He had an aura about him when he walked into the room, people would start to smile before he said a word.

"He introduced Eileen to us as 'the Widow Grace', so he was cracking jokes and having the craic 'til the end. But he also had great faith. He just said to the kids, 'when youse all come up, I'll be there, I'll be ready'."

Fans went to say goodbye (
Image:
michelledevane/Twitter)
The couple had four children together, who will each deliver eulogies at his funeral (
Image:
Irish Mirror)

Paddy added: "He was going to meet Eileen again on the moon. When we were leaving, he said: 'I won't say I'll see yez, because I won't. But I'll see yez somewhere.'"

The eulogies will be delivered by each of Brendan's children - Amanda, Melanie, Bradley and Brendan Jr - as well as his manager for nearly four decades, Brian Keane.

His grandchildren will also pay tribute to the late comic by bringing symbols of his life up to the altar, including a guitar, microphone and a book of his own jokes.

Just a week before his shock death, Brendan announced he would be cancelling his summer tour after receiving the devastating news he had lung cancer while being treated for pneumonia.

Brendan told his pals how he wanted his funeral to be (
Image:
Irish Mirror)
Brendan Grace was devoted to his wife Eileen

Grace started his career as a singer before turned to comedy, and became well-known for his characters Bottler and the Father of the Bride.

He recorded a hit song title Combine Harvester in 1975 and it was a number one in Ireland before topping the charts in the UK for The Wurzels a year later.

As a singer, he also toured the world and performed with stars including John Denver and Frank Sinatra.

He only appeared in one episode of Father Ted, but his portrayal of Father Stack made a lasting impression with fans.

Brendan found fame through his singing and acting career
Brendan played Father Fintan Stack in iconic comedy Father Ted (
Image:
Channel 4)

In the episode New Jack City, he played an obnoxious newcomer who was sent in to replace Father Jack after he was shipped off to St. Clabbert's Hospital for wayward priests.

Grace's career was detailed in a 2018 documentary called Brendan Grace - Funny Man, which the comedian got emotional as he spoke about how much he loved his wife Eileen.

He said: "There is nothing I wouldn't do for her and there is nothing she wouldn't do for me and that's how it's been for nearly 45 years."