Social Affairs

Family of woman who died in Dublin criticise campaigners trying to ‘hijack’ tragedy

Death of Ann Delaney has attracted ‘hurtful’ comments made by ‘faceless people hiding behind keyboards’

Tributes and flowers left at Aungier Street, Dublin for Ann Delaney. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Tributes and flowers left at Aungier Street, Dublin for Ann Delaney. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Vivienne Clarke
Tue Mar 05 2024 - 17:58

The family of Ann Delaney, the former nurse who died while sleeping rough in Dublin city last month, has criticised online campaigners for trying to “hijack” her death for political ends.

In a statement given to RTÉ's Liveline on Tuesday, a sibling of the 47-year-old woman said she was “a daughter, a sister and a mother”.

“As a family, our door was always open to her. While I don’t have to justify what my family did and how much we tried to help her, we have been left hurt by the uninformed and nasty comments online.”

Some anti-immigration activists have seized on Ms Delaney’s death to claim in social media posts that homeless Irish people were being left without supports on the streets. Other commentators have seized on the death to criticise the Government’s record on housing.

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The family criticised “hurtful” and “disgusting” comments by “faceless people hiding behind keyboards”, without going into detail on the comments in question.

“I want to acknowledge the outpouring of grief at the vigil in Dublin city and the overwhelming support we received from our local community. We will never forget what our neighbours and friends did to help us. We are good people who did not turn our backs on our sister. And I would also ask people not to hijack Ann’s story for their own purposes. As I said already, she was a daughter, sister and mother and should not to be used as a rallying call,” the statement read.

Ms Delaney, from Doonane, Co Laois, was found unresponsive at a location beside Tesco on Aungier Street, Dublin that had been her home for the last few months of her life. She died in St James’s Hospital.

At her funeral, her sister Róisín told the congregation: “As a family we never understood why Ann chose to live like she did. Over the last number of years it has been incredibly frustrating and painful that Ann would not accept the help that so many people had offered her.

“Family, friends and professionals offered her as much support as they could, but sadly it was to no avail.

“The outpouring of grief for Ann showed how loved she was and how she brought positivity into people’s lives, though she was struggling herself. Ann always knew she had a home in Dromone and a family that loved her very much.”

Vivienne Clarke

Vivienne Clarke is a reporter