On 30 December 2021, our sister Eva died in Perth, Western Australia (where it was in fact December 31, because they are 8 hours ahead of us)
The news was not unwelcome as she had been unresponsive since losing consciousness on December 17/18, with all treatments withdrawn on December 22.
Eva was the 5th child in our family of 6, but as our youngest brother died tragically when Eva was 2, she regained her place as the youngest in the family.
For some decades we lived hemispheres apart – she in the Southern one and the rest of her family in Ireland, some thousands of miles to the north. The hemispheres may as well have been different planets when Covid interrupted travel, but prior to this, we met on an annual basis for a number of years.
Over the last 14 months of her life we were in constant contact, and most especially in her final three months or so we were in contact up to eight times every day. She shared her hopes, exasperations, her fears and her anguish of her final journey. And what anguish!
I want her memory to live on, not only in the hearts of those who loved her, but as a testament to her life…. A life that might appear to be very ordinary and unremarkable, but in reality was extraordinary because of her resilience, her dedication, her commitment, her self effacing optimistic hope that things might turn out ok in the end.
This series of posts represent my attempt at honouring Eva as well as dealing with my own grief
EVA PHILOMENA MARY GALLAGHER CROSKERY 1956 – 2021.
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A SILVER VOICE FROM IRELAND 