Mrs Brown’s Boys star Dermot O’Neill has revealed that his late wife Patricia “Chickie” O’Neill planned parts of her own funeral, including karaoke at the afters to lift the mood.
The actor spoke after the service for Chickie, who died last week aged 60.
Supported by a walking stick and wearing his trademark ponytail, the 74-year-old was comforted by family and friends outside the funeral in north Dublin.
Chickie died of cancer last Monday after doctors told her earlier this year that she had only months to live.
Mrs Brown’s Boys star Dermot O’Neill attends wife’s funeral
As reported by The Sun, during the service, her son Salvador said his mum had helped organise her own farewell and had even ordered an end-of-life planner. He said it arrived on the day she died with the words, “Sorry it’s your problem now, because I’m dead” on the cover.
Salvador said the family laughed when they saw it, adding that it summed up his mum perfectly.
All four of Chickie’s children paid tribute at the packed service. Sons Salvador and Evan, along with daughters Yolanda and Nicola, spoke about the heartbreak of losing their mum.
They also said the huge turnout showed just how loved she was, and described the world as feeling much quieter since her death.
Dermot was reportedlytoo overcome with emotion to speak during the funeral. But, according to The Sun, he stood to touch her coffin before it passed through the doors at the end of the service.
‘Chickie wanted people to have a good time’
Afterwards, he said Chickie had wanted mourners to enjoy themselves at the reception in nearby Kealy’s bar off Swords Road.
Dermot told The Irish Sun: “Chickie wanted people to have a good time even at her funeral. That was very much her personality. She was a joyful, warm person. I’m so sad she is gone.”
Mrs Brown’s Boys co-star Paddy Houlihan, who attended the funeral, said he had never seen his longtime friend Dermot, known to the cast as Bugsy, so shaken.
Who is Dermot O’Neill in Mrs Brown’s Boys?
Dermot O’Neill is a familiar face to Mrs Brown’s Boys viewers and is known to friends and castmates by the nickname Bugsy. In this story, co-star Paddy Houlihan speaks about supporting him after the death of his wife Patricia “Chickie” O’Neill.
A short background boxout could help readers who know the show but want a quick reminder of who Dermot is and his connection to the wider cast.
Longtime Mrs Brown’s Boys performer
Known within the cast as Bugsy
Supported by castmates including Paddy Houlihan and Brendan O’Carroll
Filming on the show is due to resume in October, according to Paddy
Paddy said: “I’ve known Bugsy for so many years and it’s the first time he doesn’t sound like Bugsy. He’s absolutely devastated. But everyone on Mrs Brown is there to support him.”
He added that Brendan O’Carroll had been calling Dermot from Florida several times over the past few days. He said the cast would remain off until filming on Mrs Brown’s Boys resumes in October.
Rugby player Shane Byrne, who appeared in Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie as a Russian villain and is a longtime friend of the cast, also attended the service.
When did Chickie die?
Chickie, who worked for Dunnes Stores, died on June 1 at St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown.
The Dublin grandmother only discovered she had cancer after travelling to Spain in January for a hernia operation.
Doctors there told her they could not carry out the procedure after finding several tumours in her stomach.
Chickie wanted people to have a good time even at her funeral.
Chickie previously said that if she had not gone abroad, she might never have learned she had stage 4 cancer. She said doctors in Spain wanted to transfer her to another hospital. But she insisted on returning to Ireland because she feared she might never see her children again.
She also said one of the hardest moments came when she had to tell her sons, Salvador, 39, and Evan, 24, the news from her hospital bed at Beaumont.
Chickie said Dermot placed his hand on her knee while both boys held her hands, and the family hugged and cried together.
Dermot said Chickie received treatment at Beaumont Hospital before moving to St Francis Hospice Blanchardstown in the final days of her life.
He said there was nothing more doctors could do for her because she had a blockage in her heart that could not be cleared and chemotherapy had stopped working.
He added that Chickie knew she did not have long left and had hoped for a few more weeks. In her final days, she was on morphine because she was in severe pain and could only speak in a whisper.
Mourners at the funeral reception were asked to buy a brick donation. This was to help fund a new in-patient unit with 24 single rooms in Raheny, run by St Francis Hospice.
Leave us your comments on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
