A grief-stricken son has described his woe at not being able to say goodbye to his mother who died after contracting coronavirus.
Ciaran O'Rourke knew his 69-year-old mother Ann was going to die at the hands of the horrendous Covid-19 as soon as she was diagnosed on Thursday night.
But the grandmother-of-five died at her care home on Sunday evening, Dublin Live says.
"We were told on the Thursday night that she had contracted the virus. By Saturday, her situation had gotten much worse and there was a fear that she might not make it," Ciaran, aged 36, said.
"She passed away at 5:05pm on Sunday. My father told my two sisters and I. It was so hard to lose her so soon but the hardest part is what follows.
"We weren't allowed up to see her, to say our final goodbyes properly. We're able to have a funeral for her and bury her but it will be a closed coffin. Now she's gone, forever and we're never going to see her face again.
"She was loved by many and loved being at home but the service is just immediate family only and her body has to go straight from the nursing home to the church."
In addition to her grandkids, Ann leaves behind three of her own children. Ciaran is the youngest of those.
The pensioner, who grew up at an orphanage, was admitted to Elmgreen Nursing Home in Castleknock, Dublin, about two years ago after suffering a bad fall in her nearby house.
She also suffered with mental health issues and was wheelchair-bound and dependant on lots of medication. After the fall, a decision was made by the family that Ann needed around the clock care.
And it was in the nursing home where Ciaran last saw his mother, fighting fit and looking forward to being taken out for the day - something that was unable to happen.
He continued: "The last time I saw her properly was just under two weeks ago. I went to the home and wanted to bring her out for the day but wasn't allowed because of fears that she might catch coronavirus. And that was the last time I saw her, that I got to hug her."
"She was just the greatest soul. She was my mother, she was my best friend. She was my world, she was my everything.
"We had such a special bond together. We did everything together too. I am truly lost without her and will miss her every second of every day.
"The support from family, friends and our neighbours has just been something else. There has been a surge of phone calls since the news broke and people honestly have been so supportive and caring and kind and we can't thank them enough."
