Ex-president leads heartbreaking tributes for ‘lovely lady', 50s, who drowned in Donegal as funeral details released
SAD LOSS Ex-president leads heartbreaking tributes for 'lovely lady', 50s, who drowned in Donegal as funeral details released
TRIBUTES have been paid to a woman who lost her life after getting into difficulty swimming in Donegal last Friday.
Maire Murray was swimming off the coast of Glencolmcille on August 1 when she ran into difficulty in the water.
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Ms Murray, who was in her 50s, was airlifted to Sligo University Hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead.
It is reported that she was enrolled in a local Irish language course at the Oideas Gael college when the incident occurred.
The popular lady was formerly of Harold's Cross, Dublin and Croghan Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Roscommon.
Her funeral mass will take place on Friday, 8 August in Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Harold's Cross, Dublin at 12 noon, followed by a cremation at Mount Jerome crematorium.
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The family have requested donations in lieu of flowers to be made to the RNLI.
Former President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin led the tributes to the well-liked lady.
She said: "We send our deepest condolences to all Maire's family on her very sad passing.
"She was a sister student at Oideas Gael and so happy to be there as were we all until that fateful Friday when the sea took her so cruelly as she took her last swim of the week."
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She added: "Maire will be remembered with great fondness and grief too. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam uasal."
A former colleague said: "I am so incredibly sorry for your loss as a family. Maire was an amazing person, she was kind and generous with her time and knowledge. I will always remember her ready smile and dry wit."
'SHOCKED AND SADDENED'
Another added: "Shocked and saddened to hear the news of Maire's tragic passing.
"Maire was a lovely and respected colleague at St Michael's Hospital. My sincere condolences to all of the Murray family. May she Rest In Peace."
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Poignantly, a fellow classmate of the Irish college said: "Although I knew Maire only a short time, I feel privileged to have met her.
"She was a lovely, kind, caring and funny woman. I will always remember the lovely times we shared last week in Gleann Cholm Cille."
Predeceased by her parents Joe and Nancy and sister-in-law Sylvia, Ms Murray is survived and sadly missed by her sister Catherine, brothers Tomas and Kevin, sister-in-law Allie, nephew Tom, nieces Anna, Alice and Lily.
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Ms Murray is thought to have been enrolled in a local Irish language course at the Oideas Gael college when the incident occurred
Credit: www.rip.ie
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