The beloved mother of comedian PJ Gallagher was remembered at her funeral mass as a woman who was “mad as a hatter” and who “loved a laugh”.
Helen Gallagher died on November 5 “under the care and kindness” of all the staff in the special care unit at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
Mourners gathered for her funeral on Wednesday morning at St John the Baptist Church on Clontarf Road in Dublin, where her daughter Stacey paid tribute to her.
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Stacey told how she was a “force of nature, one of a kind and kind of impossible to describe. I kind of wish everyone would come up and tell a story because it would just be her…”
She told how she “loved every minute” of growing up on a farm in Wicklow and was one of 12 siblings.
“I think one of the hardest things mum had to endure was the loss after loss after loss of each and every sibling before her and dad until it was just herself and Anne left. Her partner in crime.”
Stacey told how her mother and Anne had a “death deal”, which “Anne reneged on”.
“They made a death deal. They had kind of thought they would go in 2021, because you know it’s all about the sevens and any multiple of it.
“Bit they didn’t so they had an agreement that they would both go in 2022 but mum was meant to go first but she reneged on that, Anne went first a few months before her.
“That was a big blow to mum. They were such good pals, they spoke all the time, they spoke about their kids, families, the gossip, the scandal but mainly they spoke about their ailments and the different lists of conditions they had.
“That was their main topic of conversation. ”
Stacey told the congregation how their mother had an “innate kindness and a need to help other people” and chose a career in nursing which reflected that.
She told how when Stacey and PJ were adopted, their mother chose a career in nursing “in a sense” and “opened their home to seven paranoid, schizophrenic geriatric men”.
“She wanted to make sure she was home every day for us after school but in fact she kind of made sure she was tethered to the place for the next 15 years.”
“She was a grafter that we all know. She proved that by looking after the patients 365 days a year.
“Now my dad was there. But you wouldn’t ultimately describe him as helpful. His biggest job of the day was hoovering the house, so he was great at that.
“He would go out, get the hoover, turn it out and leave it on and go and watch Neighbours. Delighted with himself.”
Stacey said people came to the house “in their droves” to her “sociable parents”.
She told mourners how their mother “loved a good mass”.
“Mum loved a good mass and because she had to stay at home, she had them at home and everyone came. It was a very regular thing, probably monthly. The sitting room would be jammers, all the cousins had to take part.
“She always had at least three priests to call on hand if she ever had the urge to have a mass.
“She had an amazing faith and a belief in God and a fear in God, which she tried to put in us.”
Stacey told how her mother was a “very intelligent woman”, what some would describe as “wise”.
“She knew a bit about everything, and she loved teaching everyone stuff. Anything at all.”
She said her mother had no filter - something which her brother PJ got from her.
“He didn’t lick the sense of humour off the ground either, she was always up for a laugh”.
“She had a way with words and knew how to express herself in ways that was always powerful, emotional and wise. Even if you were just discussing a cup of tea.”
Gifts to the altar included a bottle of Chanel No 5 as she “never left the house without spritzing it” on herself, a Dub and Tipperary jersey “because she loved watching the Dubs but never missed a Tip hurling match either”, a tub of slime to represent the fun her grandkids had with her which they used on Sunday. Her bible was also among the gifts.
Father John Callanan told the congregation that Helen was remembered as a woman who loved a good laugh.
Fr Callanan said: “She was as mad as a hatter. That was the phrase Stacey had said. She was wonderful.
“She obviously loved life and had great, great energy around her. She also had a wonderful sense of faith”
He said PJ told him how one of her hobbies was “going to mass” as well as watching horse racing on TV and the soaps.
“She had a great devotion,” he said.
PJ also told Fr Callanan how 19 years ago she got bad news about her health and although she used to slump every now and again, she would bounce back.
“PJ said occasionally she might sink a little bit but then she would come roaring back again. In fact, I half expected her to come roaring back now, he said.
“So that was kind of her wonderful style. Her faith stayed with her,” he added.
Her grandchildren Joey, Tommy and Anna May each read the Prayers of the Faithful.
Helen was then buried at Glasnevin cemetery.
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