Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has extended his deepest sympathies to Children's Minister Katherine Zappone after the death of her wife.
In a statement this morning the Children's Minister says she's heartbroken at the passing of her love and life-partner.
And she thanked staff at St James Hospital who cared for Ann Louise during her brief illness.
Kim Buckley has this report:
The couple have been together since 1981 and married in British Columbia in 2003.
A high profile partnership they campaigned through the Courts, Oireachtas and in public to have their marriage legally recognised here.
And famously, on the day the marriage referendum was passed in 2015, Katherine Zappone proposed live on TV.
Senator Katherine Zappone has proposed to her partner Ann Louise Gilligan live on RTÉ's referendum coverage https://t.co/ZnCfMqwmcI
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 23, 2015
Tributes have been flooding in with The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar extending his deepest sympathies while The Irish Council for Civil Liberties says 'her life was a celebration of integrity and ethics'.
When u know ur in the presence of pure goodness. AnnLouise gave me the greatest gift of education & continued 2 till the end. My love to KZ pic.twitter.com/G0hP7FglnV
— Lynn Ruane (@SenLynnRuane) June 15, 2017
Condolences 2 Katherine Zappone on sad death of her spouse Anne Louise Gilligan. Bean uasal Anne Louise. Tá sí ar slí an fhirrine anios.
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) June 15, 2017
We have lost an amazing Irish woman. And @KZapponeTD has lost her love, her wife, her life partner. Heartfelt condolences Katherine. pic.twitter.com/tJPNaluZ7V
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) June 15, 2017
Statement in full from Katherine Zappone:
“I am heartbroken following the passing of my beloved Ann Louise.
Since 1981 she has been my love and my life-partner.
Ann Louise was an educator extraordinaire. She taught at St Patricks, Drumcondra and DCU. Her exceptional love of children lives on through the work of the thousands of primary school teachers she educated throughout the country.
As co-founder and director of An Cosan a centre of learning, leadership and enterprise in Jobstown, Tallaght West Ann Louise demonstrated her commitment and love for the people of Tallaght and the wider communities. Her vision was that education transformed poverty and she believed in the power of imagination to bring about personal and social change.
As a champion of equality, fairness and justice Ann Louise was fearless. Her courage inspired us to make the ultimate commitment with our marriage in British Columbia in 2003.
The joy of that day was matched for Ann Louise when after tireless campaigning through the courts, the Oireachtas and ultimately on the doorsteps we helped secure marriage equality for everyone in Ireland.
I want to offer my deepest appreciation to Professor Joe Harbison and the dedicated team at MISA in St James Hospital who looked after Ann Louise during her recent brief illness. They provided care, comfort and support for which I will be forever grateful.
Arrangements for those who wish to remember Ann Louise will be made public in the coming days.”
