Volunteers at the Liberty Soup Run, which provides assistance to homeless people in Dublin, say that it will remember “special lady”, Ann Delaney, at a memorial service this evening at 8pm after an outpouring of sadness at the news that the woman died while sleeping rough at the weekend.
Flowers and candles have been left at the spot where she died throughout the day, with memories of Ms Delaney being shared online.
Heart broken 💔 still can't belive that you passes away Ann. Guys liberty soup run will be down were ann passed away at 8pm today we will be letting off balloons 🎈 and playing couple off Ann's songs that she loved we would like you join us to say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/P5r2F5LYRj
— Liberty Soup run (@run_soup89131) February 26, 2024
The non-profit organisation broke the news of the woman’s death last night, and said that Ms Delaney was a “good friend” and a “lovely lady” who would be missed, and that they were “absolutely heart-broken” at the news of her passing.
“A lot of people would have known her,” a volunteer said. “We’re lost for words ..another homeless person died on the streets again, this can’t go on .. she was a lovely lady just going through a hard time .. and she will be missed. Rest in peace, Ann.”
Ms Delaney was found in a sleeping bag close to a Tesco supermarket on Aungier Street in Dublin city centre. She is believed to have been sleeping rough for 7 years and was well known to locals.
The soup run sent “all our love” to the woman’s family who are understood to have attempted to intervene over the years to help Ms Delaney who had suffered from mental health problems and then alcoholism.
Ms Delaney, who was originally from Co Laois, had been a nurse and had a 17-year-old daughter.
R.I.P Ann you will be missed so much your were special in your own way we are heart broken over u sick off this country 💔 pic.twitter.com/Nlfa0aPal9
— Liberty Soup run (@run_soup89131) February 25, 2024
Historian Dónal Fallon described Ms Delaney as a “kind soul” who had sat outside Tesco on Aungier St and was known to many. “She died in the cold last night,” he posted on X yesterday.
Many of you will know Ann, who sat outside the Tesco on Aungier St/Redmond's Hill.
She was a kind soul. So sorry to pass this memorial to her this evening.
She died in the cold last night. pic.twitter.com/xaPLhbnXtQ
— Donal Fallon (@fallon_donal) February 25, 2024
In response, one women said: “I am so sorry to see this. She was a lovely woman. We’d brief chats & one day she asked me “Are you a reader?”. It was then she shared her love for Roald Dahl esp Danny the Champion of the World, The Secret Garden, & above all Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong. May she rest in peace.”
Heartfelt tributes have been pouring in for Ann, a well-known homeless woman who passed away over the weekend. Many people who live or work near Aungier Street would know Ann for her warm smile and kind word for anyone who passed her❤️ https://t.co/Mrvs7VGUr4 pic.twitter.com/egs87GPAeD
— Lovin Dublin (@LovinDublin) February 26, 2024
A family notice on rip.ie read: “Ann Delaney, Dromagh, Crettyard, Co. Laois/Carlow, February 25th at St James’s Hospital, Dublin aged 47 years.
“Beloved daughter of Mary and the late Tom. Sadly missed by her loving daughter Saoirse, mother, brothers Thomas, John, Ciaran and Paul, sisters Siobhán, Tricia, Roisin and Emer, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, relatives and a wide circle of friends.
“Funeral details are expected to be announced in the coming days.”
While the Garda Press Office said earlier that they had no record of an outside death in the area at the weekend, a garda spokesman said this afternoon that: “Having been notified by staff at St. James Hospital, as per protocol, An Garda Síochána is conducting enquiries into a sudden death of a female (40s) which occurred on Sunday, 25th February, 2024 for the purpose of preparing a file for the Coroner.”
Heart broken 💔 and angry pic.twitter.com/j1K2bgZqP1
— Liberty Soup run (@run_soup89131) February 25, 2024