‘Lovely lady’ Ann found dead in her sleeping bag
Tributes are paid to ex-nurse and ‘real character’
A BODY of a homeless woman has been found inside her sleeping bag, it emerged yesterday.
The victim, who was known as Ann and aged 47, was discovered on Sunday morning in Dublin.
The nurse and mother, who was originally from Co Carlow, was found near a Tesco store on Aungier Street in the capital.
It is understood she had been living rough for at least seven years, firstly on Thomas Street.
Dozens of flowers and candles have been left at the spot where her body was discovered.
Chris O’reilly, who has run the Liberty Soup Run for the last five years, said that Ann was a “lovely lady, a real character” and a lot of people would have known her.
He added: “She passed away sadly on Sunday morning. She was alive early on Sunday but then she suddenly became unresponsive.
“We don’t know her cause of death whether the dropping temperatures might have been a factor or not.
“Paramedics were called but unfortunately Ann passed away. We are heartbroken and lost for words. Another
homeless person died on our streets and it’s just so wrong. Ann was a lovely lady and was well liked.
“She was just going through a hard time. She had a family and a life and she just fell on hard times.
“We want to send our love to all of her family. She will be missed but she is at peace now.
“We still can’t believe that this lady has passed away.”
Mr O’reilly said she went through a lot living on the streets and had been
beaten up on at least one occasion. He added: “Ann slept rough as she was afraid to stay in the homeless hostels.
“Her family would come to visit her to see how she was. She loved music and Aslan and was a wonderful poet.”
Liberty Soup Run was planning an official “goodbye” to her at 8pm last night.
Several songs she was known to love were to be played along with balloons being released in her memory. A woman said on social media: “Ann no longer sought shelter and [in] the last few weeks it was clear to see her health go down.
“I’m sure the stress and constantly being robbed on the streets did not help, but that did not take away from the person she was.”
Ann’s remains have been taken to the City Morgue and her funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
In a statement gardai said: “Having been notified by staff at St James’s Hospital, as per protocol, officers are conducting inquiries into a sudden death of a female in her 40s which occurred on Sunday for the purpose of preparing a file for the Coroner.”
Last month, the body of Stephen Clarke, from Dundrum, Dublin who was in his 40s, was found on St Andrew’s Street in the early hours of January 9.
Ann was a lovely lady and well liked.. she fell on hard times
CHRIS O’REILLY YESTERDAY