Emer, Your Suffering Is Over... The Pain, Agony & Tears At An End

Chief Medical Officer on legacy left by brave mum

- Cate McCurry

Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said his beloved wife Emer has left a legacy “that can never be destroyed, and avoid that will never be filled”.

The heartbroken NPHET boss, who has led Ireland’s pandemic battle since last March, laid his cherished wife to rest yesterday.

Dr Emer Holohan (nee Feely), who had been living with a terminal form of blood cancer since 2012, passed away on Friday.

The specialist in public health medicine and medical graduate of UCD died at Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, surrounded by her loving husband and children Clodagh and Ronan.

Her funeral took place at St Pius X Church in Dublin yesterday.

Paying tribute to his wife, Dr Holohan told the church she was someone who lived for her family.

He described her as a “loving, caring, warm, witty and sunny person”. Dr Holohan said: “Emer, this is the day that was always coming, we knew that, we all did. After that dreadful day in September 2012, you and I both knew you would leave us before your time, and you have.

“Your suffering is over, the pain, the anguish and the tears are at an end.