The funeral is taking place of an Irish soldier who was killed on a UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.
Pte Seán Rooney was in an armoured vehicle that came under fire while travelling to Beirut on 14 December.
The service is being held at The Church of the Holy Family in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Irish President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar, and Irish defence minister Micheál Martin are among the mourners.
Members of the 27th Infantry Battalion, in which Pte Rooney served, formed a guard of honour as his coffin covered by both Irish and UN flags was carried into the church.
Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces Lieutenant General Seán Clancy and colleagues of Pte Rooney from Lebanon are also in attendance.
Earlier, hundreds of people lined the streets as Pte Rooney’s coffin was carried the short distance from his grandparents’ home in Dundalk.
“No-one in this community would ever have thought that your walk across Hoey’s Lane to come to your beloved church would be such a difficult walk,” Fr Derek Ryan told mourners.
The soldier’s body will be taken to All Saints Catholic Church in Colehill, County Donegal, for a burial service with full military honours later on Thursday.
Pte Rooney was repatriated to Ireland on Monday following a UN ceremony to honour him in Beirut the previous day.
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Three separate investigations are being conducted into the incident by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, Lebanese authorities led by a military prosecutor and the Irish Defence Forces.
It is understood the vehicle was surrounded by a mob and fired on while travelling to Beirut at about 21:00 on 14 December.
Another soldier who was seriously injured in the same attack was returned home to the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.
Trooper Shane Kearney, who suffered a head injury, was flown by a medical aircraft from Beirut Airport to Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, then taken to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
Trooper Kearney is in a stable condition, the Irish Defence Forces have said.
