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Live: Vicky Phelan memorial service takes place in Co Kilkenny

Live: Vicky Phelan memorial service takes place in Co Kilkenny

Crowds have gathered to attend Vicky Phelan's public memorial service in Co Kilkenny.

The public will get their chance to say goodbye and celebrate the campaigner's life in her home village of Mooncoin.

Ms Phelan died on November 14th at Milford Hospice in Limerick after a long battle with cervical cancer.

She grabbed the attention of the Irish public in 2018 after bringing a High Court case over how her cervical smears tests were handled.

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She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, three years after a smear test result she had undergone was wrongly reported as clear.

A digital artwork of Vicky Phelan is projected onto the GPO in Dublin to mark the release of a feature documentary about her life. Photo: PA Images

Her case prompted more than 200 other women to come forward over misreported smear test results and led to a series of reviews of Ireland’s cervical cancer screening programme CervicalCheck.

Despite receiving a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis, Ms Phelan actively campaigned for better healthcare and better accountability in the healthcare system and co-founded the 221+ advocacy group alongside campaigners Lorraine Walsh and Stephen Teap.

A private funeral was held for Ms Phelan three days after her death, as per her wishes.

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The Phelan and Kelly families last week announced that a public celebration of her life will take place at the Church of the Assumption in Mooncoin.

You can watch a livestream of the event below:

A shuttle bus service is operating for those travelling for the event.

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A park-and-ride facility has been in place from 11am and the ceremony will get underway at 1pm.

In their announcement of the memorial celebration of Vicky’s life, the Kelly and Phelan families said music would feature prominently in the service “with some of her favourite musicians playing a few of her favourite tunes on the day.”

They added: “Vicky connected with so many people, on so many different levels & when she asked us to host a gathering in Mooncoin after her passing, we could honestly think of nothing more appropriate.

“We hope that Sunday's gathering will be all that Vicky hoped it would be, an opportunity for family, friends & the wider public to join with us in this celebration of her life.”

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