AN Irish mum who passed away while on holiday in Turkey had pleaded to be reunited with her late daughter just weeks before her own death.
Mary Murphy from Finglas, Dublin, had taken a trip to Turkey with her partner Keith to celebrate his 40th birthday when she suddenly took ill.
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She was rushed to hospital where she sadly passed away on Sunday.
Mary was today remembered by a sea of tearful mourners dressed in pink who packed the pews of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Rivermount.
People were asked to wear pink or bright colours so that Mary could have “the biggest brightest send off as she deserves it – she lit up every room she walked into”.
From This Moment was played as Mary’s coffin was brought up towards the altar and funeral goers were told this was the song she was going to play at her wedding, which she never got to have.
They also heard how Mary’s untimely death coincided with what would have been her late daughter’s second birthday.
Mary and Keith lost their baby girl, Billie May, a few years ago.
Mary’s dad Martin told how just weeks before Mary’s death, she had cried out to be reunited with her baby girl while visiting her grave.
He said: “Only recently, myself and Mary visited her baby’s grave Billie Mae and while there Mary said, ‘Da, I really want to be with her and my grandmother.’
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I turned to Mary and I said, ‘You will be Mary. But not for another 50 years.’ Little did I know what was going to happen.
Mary touched many hearts on her short journey and she will forever be in our hearts until we meet again.”
Martin said Mary’s funeral was like a funeral “of the legends” with mourners spilling out of the church and watching on from outside.
Holding back his tears, Martin said: “Mary was our go-to girl, if I had a problem she was the person I would go to. She would always assure me everything would be okay and true to her word, everything would be.
“Mary loved her family, her children, grandson, and her partner Keith. She would light up every room she walked into and put a smile on the faces of everyone in the room.
“It is very difficult to express my feelings at the moment but I’d like to thank everyone here today, our neighbours and the funeral directors. On behalf of myself and Pauline thank you to everyone.
“Every night I go to bed I’m going to say goodnight to Mary and every morning I’ll say good morning to her – she’s not gone. She’ll never go from my heart.”
Keith and Mary’s sons, Killian, Alex and Dawson, today lit candles for their mum to represent “the light she was for you and you to her”.
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
Mary’s brother, Martin Jr, sobbed for his sister and remembered their time growing up together.
He said: “I’d like to thank everyone for coming out and for all the help this past week. We are so grateful, Mary would be so proud.
“I want to talk to Mary for now. From the moment I was born you thought I was yours, you used to always. You let me away with anything and all the times you’d freak out and cry because mam would tell everyone my name was Martin and you’d say, ‘No his name’s Ryan’ because you hated the name Martin.
“Anytime I couldn’t be collected or brought to school, you’d be there. When you moved out I still remember that big red door with the palm tree in the garden just in the middle of a three-storey flat I used to get so happy when I saw the door because you and Keith would always have something to do whether it’d be to go and get ice cream, food, walks, park or just sitting in playing games.
“All the takeaway nights we had as kids continued as adults, for every birthday and occasion, the matching pyjama nights you and the girls had – obviously I was never invited but you loved matching pyjamas.
“As da would you say, ‘You used to live in Disneyland sometimes’.
“When we’d all be together for those moments, they’d be filled with your dramatic pauses and over exaggerated facial expressions and of course that iconic laugh that now Dawson has gotten from you.
“His laugh is your laugh.”
Martin Jr said his sister was always a god listener and was there to lend an ear to his problems.
He continued: “You were so protective over us all it was like having a two mothers sometimes and when you became a mother yourself, you carried that over to your own family.
“You were there for all of us no matter what, that’s who you were. All the times we sat in your kitchen and I’d talk and you’d just listen and teach me right from wrong.
“Just sitting there all day listening to the radio, drinking tea and having Dunnes cookies. You drank tea as if it was water, I drank so much tea I haven’t had some since and I don’t think I will because it’s just not the same.
‘BEAUTIFUL SOUL’
“Nothing will be anymore Mary. You were such a beautiful soul who impacted everyone you met.
“Looking back on all those memories, the stupid laughs, hearing your voice when I was angry or upset, I’m going to miss it all.
“I could write so much more but we’d be here for years. Now, you’re finally with your baby girl, Billie Mae, who you loved and adored.
“You were constantly telling me you wanted your little girl, well now you are together again. We are all going to miss you Mary, we love you so much, thank you for everything you’ve done for us.
“I’ll think about you every day and so will the family. I couldn’t have asked for a better big sister. I love you forever and always, goodbye for now.”
Mary is survived by her heartbroken partner Keith, sons Killian, Alex and Dawson, mother and father Pauline and Martin, sisters Anne-Marie and Leanne, brother Martin, grandson Hunter, her nephews Lewis and Logan, nieces Chantelle, Chloe and many more, sisters and brothers in-law, aunties, uncles, cousins and extended family and large circle of friends.
Fr Seamus spoke about Mary and told how she was the “centre of the whole family and community” and was someone who would “fight the corner for everyone all while in her housecoat”.
He said: “Everyone adored Mary, it’s true. Her smile lit up the world around her. She was tough but soft and gentle, alive with colour, bubbly character.
“The storm (of her death) is too much.”
Speaking to her family, he added: “The outstanding features of this woman are in all of you so mind each other, you have to. It’s the only way.”
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