Ann Delaney has been laid to rest following a funeral in Laois.
Ann Delaney, the woman who died on the streets of Dublin on Sunday morning, has been laid to rest following a funeral in Co. Laois.
Ms. Delaney, who had worked as a nurse in Dublin before falling on hard times and living rough, is believed to have died at around 9am on Sunday morning.
The funeral mass began with the hymn ‘Be Not Afraid’ as the priest told mourners: “We give thanks for her life and for all that she was throughout her life.”
Ann Delaney laid to rest after funeral hears of ‘brilliant nurse who valued kindness’.
The priest continued, saying: “Ann was always a very outgoing person who loved life and was larger than life, always witty and funny and very empathetic.
“Ann loved music and we’re having plenty of music today as a symbol of that echoing her life.
“She loved all kinds of different adventures from skydiving to hunting crocodiles on holidays.”
He added: “She could be very flamboyant, and loved travel – in early life she travelled and worked in Australia and south Asia and had many adventures there.
“I believe in her early days she was a very good athlete even a champion athlete in some events.
“She was a brilliant nurse and worked in England, Australia and Ireland – and was never one for material things.
“If someone gave her something she would want to give them something back in return. She valued kindness.”
He concluded: “I experienced that myself, in November Ann was at home for some time and she was going to Carlow and I gave her a lift.
“At the end of the journey she gave me a little bit of paper with a poem, a beautiful poem, about kindness.”
A vigil for Ann was held on Monday evening in the spot she often frequented in her later years outside of Tesco Express on Aungier Street.
It was attended to by hundreds of mourners who played songs, left candles, and set off balloons to commemorate Ann’s life.
Chris O’Reilly, who knew Ann well due to his work with the Liberty Soup Run, told the vigil: “Everyone knew Ann. She was just an amazing person, an amazing woman. She had rough times in life like us all and unfortunately Ann ended up on the streets.
“She never saw her way out (of what she was going through) God love her, she’s at peace now, she’s out of pain. This is for Ann’s family as well, we are all behind you. Ann was our family as well. We classed her as a sister. She loved Liverpool soccer club and that’s why there are so many people holding red balloons.”
Our thoughts go out to Ann’s family and friends during this hard time.
Featured images: Rolling News / RIP.ie
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