A celebration of the life of the late cervical cancer awareness campaigner Vicky Phelan who died two weeks ago was filled with song and laughter at a memorial service in Co Kilkenny earlier today.
The ceremony was held at 1pm at the Church of the Assumption in her native Mooncoin, Co Kilkenny although she lived with her husband Jim and children Daragh and Amelia in Annacotty, Co Limerick.
Mourners were told in a message from her husband that, “Vicky wanted everyone to enjoy today.”
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Prior to the ceremony commencing, the crowds under the guidance of Waterford based Mount Sion choir sang Bill Withers' Lean on Me which packed the small church to capacity leaving hundreds more mourners watching screens outside.
A photograph of Vicky and her ashes adorned an altar table for all to remember the outspoken campaigner while her favourite band, The Stunning sang, I’m Losing You, with lead singer Joe Wall explaining: “I’m keeping my eyes shut but I don’t normally do that but I’m afraid if I see anybody crying it will set me off (crying).” They also a song chosen by her husband and children, “Always You.”
Singer and mental health advocate Bressie also performed a guitar acoustic Vicky had asked him to play when she met him at a pub Kilkee, Co Clare adding: “It was an absolute privilege to do so.”
Her parents lit seven candles in memory of her and in thanksgiving of everyone to remember the campaigner and mother-of-two.
Strains of UK based band Coldplay’s Light Will Guide You Home also filled the church by the Mount Sion Choir. Almost 4,000 people watched the live stream of the ceremony on YouTube.
Three of Vicky’s friends whom she met through her cancer awareness campaign, John Wall, who is living with terminal prostate cancer, along Lorraine Walsh, with Stephen Teap, who also lost his wife Irene to cervical cancer paid tribute to their friend Vicky.
While Mr Wall wrote a poem dedicated to his friend he also read a message from Vicky’s husband Jim.
An emotional Mr Wall said: “Vicky’s husband Jim has asked me to say a few words on behalf of himself Amelia and Daragh and these are Jim’s words. Thank you everyone for sharing this time with us. To all the organisers who made today possible at such short notice and to especially Vicky’s parents Gaby and John. We are fortunate to have you and the Kelly family in our lives and we will do our best to support you in the weeks and months ahead.
“Vicky wanted an upbeat occasion after her passing for people who gather in the celebration of her life. I cannot begin to tell you what all of this means to us. We are incredibly proud of Vicky, all that she achieved and the amazing person that she was.
“Through the toughest of times she shared incredible strength looking after us, looking out for us and ensuring that we always did our best for our family over the past number of years. Vicky wanted to tell you all to enjoy today - it will be a memorable one for you all as it will be for us. Thank you from Jim, Amelia and Daragh.
Ms Walsh said: “ Vicky you were such a real and honest person. Your openness and honesty resonated with so many people. You have so much about strength in adversity and that out of bad situations good things happen. A sincere and heartfelt thank you from Mná na hÉireann. We will never see your likes again.
Mr Teap added: “This is the second time in my life that I’ve had to stand up and talk about a woman who has left this world way, way before their time. The first of course was my wife. Thank you Vicky for being such a positive force in mine, your family’s and friends lives and for being the rock for us all.
“Thank you Vicky for sharing that wonderful sense of humour with us and delivering those one liners, maybe not at the most appropriate of times every time but always with that smirk that lit up the room.”
While her school friend Davy explained: “We will remember her obsessive love for Bros before the Stunning. She was more of a mother than a big sister. We remember her great sporting ability and her extreme competitiveness at the game rounders. We remember her insane laugh and her academic abilities. Vicky started school and three-and-three-quarters.
“She loved driving so much and she passed her car driving test her first time. We remember her strength, courage and resilience. Her advocacy for health has made her the most inspirational woman we know. She inspired so many to join her tribe and we will continue to do so in whatever way we can. Vicky taught us the true value of time as she knew the enormous burden on her. We celebrate Vicky in the way that she wanted.”
“Thank you Vicky for sharing that wonderful sense of humour with us. Thank you for just being you.”
Mourners were told by Fr Martin Tobin : “We pray that God will give you comfort in this time of loss. We pray especially that God’s loving presence will be with you Jim, Amelia, Daragh, her parents Gaby and John, her sister Lyndsey, her brothers Robbie, Lee and Jonnie.
“In her life Vicky profoundly influenced and touched the hearts of this nation. Whatever our beliefs, whatever our faith, it is with thanksgiving. Remember Vicky this day, her life, her enjoyment of life, let us rededicate her work as a mother, wife, daughter, campaigner for the rights, the wellbeing for the help of all women. Let us commit ourselves again to caring for others. Let us today offer to God our own mortality and our own vulnerability.
“Vicky appreciated the support of family and friends throughout this country and particularly those of Mooncoin how often We ask God to take Vicky home to heaven
Her nieces and nephews brought symbols of her life to the altar including a family photograph, her Belfast City Marathon medal from 2008, her memoir, Overcoming, detailing her life, sand from her absolute favourite place Doonbeg, a Kilkenny jersey, a Munster rugby jersey and a soccer jersey from his local team.
Also presented was symbolising a vinyl for her love of music, song and dance, and her honorary doctoral cap and a gavel for her fight for rights of women was brought by her son Daragh and a photo of Luna the family cat was offered by Amelia.
Her sister Lyndsey told mourners. “My sister didn’t want me to speak at her funeral but before she died she told me I was ready. We were like chalk and cheese but we laughed about that so much. She was remarkable.
“She was honest and stubborn and I never won an argument with her. Vicky never liked lies and that was her moral compass. I promise to be always there for Amelia and Daragh. There is not enough paper in the world to cover what Vicky meant to us all.”
Vicky, who died on November 14, lifted the lid in 2018 with a High Court case in 2018 over how her cervical smear tests were handled after the HSE outsourced them to a US firm.
The 48-year-old was awarded €2.5m in damages but without admission of liability by the HSE and she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to the settlement which was settled on the steps of the High Court just prior to the case being heard.
Ms Phelan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, three years after a smear test she had was wrongly reported as clear.
Her case prompted more than 220 other women to come forward over misreported smear test results and led to several reviews of the State’s cervical cancer screening programme, CervicalCheck and a damning report by Dr Gabriel Scally who said it was “doomed to fail”.
A private funeral was held for Ms Phelan three days after her death as per her wishes. The Phelan and Kelly last week announced that they have scheduled an opportunity for the public to say their goodbyes and celebrate her life in Mooncoin tomorrow (Sunday) at 1pm at the Church of the Assumption.
During the 90-minute long ceremony Mount Sion Choir sang Ben E King's Stand By Me with words dedicated to her memory with mourners standing singing, swaying and clapping to the air of the song.
After the moving song her brother Jonnie finished the service by saying: “I was in awe of Vicky since she was young. I have a vivid image of her wearing her Bros T-shirt and her Bros desk studying. In the days after Vicky passed away we chatted about her dedication to her study especially if someone called in to go for a walk.
“Every minute mattered then and every minute mattered to her at the end. Even though her time was running out she got every drop out of it. It fills our family with immense pride for what she achieved.
"Vicky was, As Good as It Gets, like the film and I’ll always cherish the time we spent watching that together in the cinema. Vicky’s presence will always be here. He also thanked medical staff who dealt with Vicky and to everyone in Mooncoin. Every little gesture meant so much to us and to Vicky. I want to thank Jim for standing by Vicky through all of this. You are such a good hearted father. Thank you.”
A standing ovation by all those gathered marked the life and hard work of Ms Phelan. The much loved triptych portrait of Vicky was also on display in Mooncoin Community Centre, where family members gathered after the service.
The Stunning closed the ceremony by thanking Vicky’s family for asking them to perform and for being there to honour her and her fight with the song, Heads Are Gonna Roll,
Gardai put in place a traffic management plan ahead of the memorial service as huge crowds were expected to attend.
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