Nurse who died running Edinburgh half marathon left ‘an indelible mark'
The requiem mass of a young nurse from
Clare
who died after participating in the Edinburgh half marathon last month has heard that she was a 'bright and beautiful spirit' who left 'an indelible mark' on those she loved.
Olivia Tuohy (24), from Ennis, died on May 25th last. She worked at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, having graduated from Queen Margaret University.
Her parents, Kieran and Liz, shared memories of their 'bubbly and kind-hearted daughter' with mourners at Ennis Cathedral today.
Liz Tuohy said that they immediately booked a flight from Dublin to Edinburgh when they received the news of what had happened to Olivia at the marathon.
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https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/06/03/tributes-to-two-irishwomen-who-died-after-competing-in-separate-marathon-events/
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'When we were travelling up to Dublin to go to Edinburgh, we were near the airport and the next thing, my sister said 'Oh my God, look at the rainbow.' There is this big, massive double rainbow – the wildest, biggest [rainbow]. I just remember saying 'Fly High, baby girl'.'
'I would just like to say to family and friends that whenever you see a rainbow, think of Olivia because she will be flying high.'
Mrs Tuohy thanked family and friends for their 'unwavering support' in the aftermath of the tragedy. She also expressed her appreciation for the medics and runners who went to the aid of Olivia in Edinburgh.
She also took tine to thank the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust for all of their efforts on behalf of the family.
Kieran Tuohy said Olivia had a 'short' yet 'beautiful life' and had left them with countless memories which they will treasure.
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The sudden death of a young runner touches running spirits everywhere
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Mr Tuohy spoke of his pride in having seen his daughter pass her driving test on her first attempt after an inauspicious start when he was tasked with teaching her the basics.
He said the lesson involved the slamming of doors, strong words, apologies and a promise that 'tomorrow there will be no shouting'.
Her brother Stephen urged mourners to capture images of their loved ones 'because you might not have the person sitting beside you right now forever'.
Olivia's boyfriend Michael said that there was 'nothing left unsaid' between him and the 'kind, beautiful, gorgeous soul' with whom he had shared so many happy times.
Offertory symbols included a football and hurley, her nursing uniform, badge and a memory book from staff in the Royal Infirmary, a shopping bag and an Aperol Spritz glass.
Burial followed at Drumcliffe Cemetery. A guard of honour was provided at the funeral by some of the clubs with whom Olivia had played before her relocation to Scotland.
Ms Tuohy played football with Banner Ladies and camogie with Eire Óg. She was also a junior player with Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club.
She is survived by her parents Kieran and Liz and her brother Stephen and his partner Laura, her partner Michael and his parents Maria-Elena and Steven, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours and her friends in Ireland and Edinburgh.
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Sunday World
12 hours ago
- Sunday World
Irishwoman who died during Edinburgh Half Marathon was a 'bright light', funeral told
'HAPPY MEMORIES' | "I would just like to say to friends and family that whenever you see a rainbow, think of Olivia because she will be flying high.' Mourners gathered at SS Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ennis this morning heard the lasting impact the young nurse had on the lives of those who knew her, leaving all those who met her 'the better for it'. Her family were described as 'the treasures of Olivia's life' during her funeral mass this morning. Ms Tuohy worked as a nurse in the vascular ward of the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, having studied at Queen Margaret University. "Olivia had a short and beautiful life. If I were to tell you all the stories we know about Olivia and those we probably didn't know, it would be like Tom Cruise, it would be Mission Impossible ,' her father, Kieran, said. He told how he was tasked with teaching his daughter how to drive, with the first lesson featuring door slamming, strong words, apologies and a hug and kiss to say that 'tomorrow, there will be no shouting'. "And that's what happened, Olivia passed first go.' Olivia Tuohy, 25. Image: He thanked all those who gathered to pay tribute to his daughter, adding: 'To Olivia and her brother, Stephen, we love you so, so much. Thank you to everybody.' Ms Tuohy's mother, Liz, thanked the medical professionals and fellow runners who helped her daughter on the day of her run in Edinburgh and all those who have supported them in the time since, including the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. "We would not be standing here today without the unwavering love and support from both our families and friends. Your warm words and acts of kindness have given us great support and comfort. For that, we will always, always be truly and deeply grateful,' she said. "When we were travelling up to Dublin to go to Edinburgh, we were near the airport and the next thing, my sister said, 'Oh my God, look at the rainbow.' And there is this big, massive double rainbow, [biggest] that I have ever seen – the widest, biggest. I just remember saying, 'Fly high, baby girl.'' She added: "I would just like to say to friends and family that whenever you see a rainbow, think of Olivia because she will be flying high.' Her brother, Stephen, told mourners how his sister had their dad 'wrapped around her finger' as he recalled a night-out in Vancouver with his family, adding: "One thing I've learned from this is that whenever you're out, even if it's just with your friends and family, if it's just even out for a walk, just take a photo, because you might not have the person sitting beside you right now forever, but you'll have a memory, or you'll have a photo, which is a memory, forever.' Olivia Tuohy was laid to rest in Co Clare today. Photo: News in 90 Seconds - 7th June Her boyfriend Michael, said Ms Tuohy knew that one of his favourite activities was 'talking about you in front of the people we know' as he described her as a 'kind, beautiful, gorgeous soul'. He thanked her for the love she brought into his life, adding: 'We shared something that has been so hard to describe to people because it was so natural and we packed so much in the time we had together, the term I've used is that we left nothing unsaid – and that is true.' He told those gathered that some may have heard him 'sing or shout this at Olivia' as he quoted song lyrics, saying: 'Now, forever and always: 'Girl, you're my angel, you're my darling angel.'' Mourners heard how their memories of Ms Tuohy are filled with her "kindness, fun, laughter and her determined strength' as a number of symbols of her life were brought to the altar. A football and a hurley represented her love of sport and served as a reminder to those gathered to 'play hard, love fiercely and embrace every moment'. Her nursing uniform, badge and a memory book compiled by her colleagues in the Royal Infirmary were brought to the altar along with a shopping bag to mark her many shopping trips with friends and an Aperol Spritz glass with her name on it to show how Ms Tuohy loved 'having fun, creating time to laugh and being surrounded by friends and family'. Her family were described as 'the treasures of Olivia's life', with a collection of family photos symbolising their importance to her. Read more Mourners heard how the reality that Ms Tuohy was "a positive presence for so many people' that she met throughout her life, having a "profound and lasting impact on so, so many people'. "It feels as though a bright light has been extinguished and yet, that is the reality we face today.' Those gathered heard how all those who met Ms Tuohy were 'the better for it' and she left an 'indelible impression'. Ms Tuohy, who was described as 'a natural carer', used her talents in sport and in caring for others to help and support those around her, leaving a legacy of 'love, care, friendship and so many happy memories'. Tributes have been paid to Olivia as 'a bright and beautiful spirit' whose 'bubbly personality and kind heart will be deeply missed by all who knew her' since her death on May 25. 'Olivia is survived by her heart broken parents Kieran and Liz and her brother Stephen and his partner Laura, her loving partner Michael and his parents Maria-Elena and Steven, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours and her friends both in Ireland and Edinburgh,' her death notice reads.
Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Irish Times
Nurse who died running Edinburgh half marathon left ‘an indelible mark'
The requiem mass of a young nurse from Clare who died after participating in the Edinburgh half marathon last month has heard that she was a 'bright and beautiful spirit' who left 'an indelible mark' on those she loved. Olivia Tuohy (24), from Ennis, died on May 25th last. She worked at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, having graduated from Queen Margaret University. Her parents, Kieran and Liz, shared memories of their 'bubbly and kind-hearted daughter' with mourners at Ennis Cathedral today. Liz Tuohy said that they immediately booked a flight from Dublin to Edinburgh when they received the news of what had happened to Olivia at the marathon. READ MORE [ ] 'When we were travelling up to Dublin to go to Edinburgh, we were near the airport and the next thing, my sister said 'Oh my God, look at the rainbow.' There is this big, massive double rainbow – the wildest, biggest [rainbow]. I just remember saying 'Fly High, baby girl'.' 'I would just like to say to family and friends that whenever you see a rainbow, think of Olivia because she will be flying high.' Mrs Tuohy thanked family and friends for their 'unwavering support' in the aftermath of the tragedy. She also expressed her appreciation for the medics and runners who went to the aid of Olivia in Edinburgh. She also took tine to thank the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust for all of their efforts on behalf of the family. Kieran Tuohy said Olivia had a 'short' yet 'beautiful life' and had left them with countless memories which they will treasure. [ The sudden death of a young runner touches running spirits everywhere Opens in new window ] Mr Tuohy spoke of his pride in having seen his daughter pass her driving test on her first attempt after an inauspicious start when he was tasked with teaching her the basics. He said the lesson involved the slamming of doors, strong words, apologies and a promise that 'tomorrow there will be no shouting'. Her brother Stephen urged mourners to capture images of their loved ones 'because you might not have the person sitting beside you right now forever'. Olivia's boyfriend Michael said that there was 'nothing left unsaid' between him and the 'kind, beautiful, gorgeous soul' with whom he had shared so many happy times. Offertory symbols included a football and hurley, her nursing uniform, badge and a memory book from staff in the Royal Infirmary, a shopping bag and an Aperol Spritz glass. Burial followed at Drumcliffe Cemetery. A guard of honour was provided at the funeral by some of the clubs with whom Olivia had played before her relocation to Scotland. Ms Tuohy played football with Banner Ladies and camogie with Eire Óg. She was also a junior player with Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club. She is survived by her parents Kieran and Liz and her brother Stephen and his partner Laura, her partner Michael and his parents Maria-Elena and Steven, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours and her friends in Ireland and Edinburgh.
Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Irish Times
Carer who died in Connemara house fire with Sunny Jacobs remembered as ‘free spirit'
The funeral service of Kevin Kelly, who died in a house fire in Connemara , Co Galway earlier this week, has heard how he would 'do anything he could for anybody'. His younger sister Jill described Mr Kelly (31) as 'a free spirit' who 'wasn't one bit shy about standing up for what he believed and not doing things just to follow the crowd'. The service took place at the Discovery Church on the Tuam Road on Saturday afternoon led by pastor Paul Cullen. The fire broke out at a cottage near Casla, a village between Indreabhán and An Cheathrú Rua, at about 6am on Tuesday. Mr Kelly and Sonia 'Sunny' Jacobs (76), who spent five years on death row in the United States, were pronounced dead at the scene. READ MORE Kelly had been Jacobs's carer, and had also acted as carer for her husband Peter Pringle who died in 2023. [ The life and tragic death of Sunny Jacobs: how a US death row survivor ended up in Connemara Opens in new window ] Speaking at the service, Jill said her older brother was born in Dublin but moved to Inishmore off Galway Bay aged four, where his 'love for the tranquil life surrounded by the beauty of Connemara' started. She said he never lost his love for mountain tops and would often disappear off up a mountain or hill in Connemara alongside his dog Molly and 'whichever other dogs he had taken under his wing and you might not hear from him for ages'. Jill spoke of her brother's love for dogs despite being bitten by one when he was younger, which showed his ability to 'let go and move' and that he 'never took life too seriously and was quick to forgive'. Mr Kelly left school and went on to work at Madra, a dog rescue and adoption service in Connemara, where he met his partner Sheree, she said. 'It was love at first sight in more ways than one,' Jill said. 'Kevin's time at Madra completely changed his life. It was where his love of dogs was truly discovered and came into play and it was where he met his beautiful Sheree.' Jill said the couple were 'made for each other'. 'We have all lost someone today – a son, a brother, a partner, a friend, a rock,' she said. 'He was so many things to so many people and we all share that grief. It does not belong to any one of us but to all of us.' Pastor Paul Cullen said 'everybody was heartbroken' for Sheree and that 'a few days ago not one of us expected to be here today'. [ The story of Sunny Jacobs was never as straightforward as the media suggested Opens in new window ] 'Not one of us expected to be standing in this room, trying to and completely unable to find words or logic or meaning around what has just happened,' he said. 'I think in our mutual shock and sadness it is good to lean into each other and to be kind to each other and caring to each other.' A number of readings and a poem were read out by members of Mr Kelly's family. Mr Kelly is survived by his parents Fiona and Ken, his siblings Jill and Cúán, his partner Sheree and his extended family.
