Heartbroken Senator David Norris has tearfully revealed his long-term partner has an inoperable brain tumour.
Sen Norris, 76, and Ezra Nawi, 68, have been together for nearly 50 years.
Ezra has been sick for "a few months" and could have anything from "a month to a year" to live, the Senator said.
The pair have not seen each other due to the pandemic, with Sen Norris in Ireland and Ezra in Israel.
Speaking on Virgin Media's Six O'Clock show, Sen Norris said: "My poor Ezra is very ill at the moment. He's dying.
"I hope if I get the vaccination I may be able to go to Israel.
"His family is very good and I'm sending over stuff to help out with getting a young man to look after him.
"We've been together and apart, we've had our ups and downs, but he was always absolutely wonderful. I love him very much."
Sen Norris said news of Ezra's illness came as a surprise.
"I pray for him every night that he will have a gentle death," Sen Norris said.
"We had some wonderful times together. He rang me a couple of times in the last week, which was wonderful. I think it was to say goodbye.
"We had wonderful times together. As the playwright J M Synge said: 'Sure no man at all can be living forever and we must be satisfied.'
"I'm not afraid of death."
Sen Norris is one of three Trinity College Dublin Senators, alongside Lynn Ruane and Ivana Bacik.
He's also among the longest serving members of the Seanad, holding a seat there for 33 years so far.
The record is 35 years.
He said he will retire at the next election.
On retirement, he added: "I hope to be able to get back and see my house in Cyprus, which is absolutely lovely."
