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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
David Kent

Heartbreaking tributes paid to Garda who died as force remembers 'special friend'

An Garda Siochána have led the tributes after one of their members passed away last week.

Rosemarie Rooney passed away on Monday at Sligo University Hospital having been a Garda stationed at Letterkenny since 2003.

She had passed through the Garda college in Templemore earlier that year and served Letterkenny since then, having originally been from Sligo.

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Leading the tributes after her sad passing earlier this week, a Garda spokesperson wrote: "Over the years, Rosie made many friends within her workplace but also within Letterkenny town, a place she loved and a place she considered to be her second home.

"It was impossible to be in the same room as Rosie and to feel sad or downhearted as she had the most contagious smile and hearty laugh ever. She often had a mischievous twinkle in her eye and we loved her for that.

"We will miss that. Rosie included everybody. She spoke to and with everybody. She had a heart of pure gold.

'Be the reason someone smiles today'. Rosie, you made us all smile. You were the cause of so many smiles everyday.

"She is not gone from us, but gone before us. Rest in peace Rosie. We will never forget you."

Rosemarie is survived by her parents P.J. and Rosaleen and loving sister Fiona.

Other tributes poured in on her death notice on RIP.ie, with one person writing: "Rosie was a great character with a wonderful smile and an infectious laugh"

A second wrote: "She was a beautiful, happy, but extremly professional member of An Garda Siochana that I and many others had the pleasure and honour to work with. To be taken from us and from her family at such a young age is beyond word"

A third added: ". Rosemarie was a beautiful ray of light that brought many a smile to us all in Strandhill. We will miss her dearly"

Her funeral takes place on Friday morning at 11.30am at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo, followed by burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Scarden, Strandhill Road, Sligo.

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