Mrs Brown’s Boys star Dermot O’Neill has revealed how his late wife Patricia “Chickie” O’Neill planned her own funeral — including a karaoke celebration afterwards to lift the spirits of mourners.
The grieving actor, 74, was supported by family and friends at Dardistown Crematorium in north Dublin as loved ones gathered to say a final farewell to Chickie, who died last week aged 60 following a shock cancer diagnosis.
Dermot, best known to fans as Grandad in Mrs Brown’s Boys, was visibly emotional during the service and was too upset to speak. However, in a deeply moving moment, he rose to his feet to touch his wife’s coffin before it passed through the doors at the end of the ceremony.
Chickie’s children paid heartfelt tributes during the packed service, remembering their mother as warm, funny and full of life. Her son Salvador revealed that she had even ordered an end-of-life planner, which arrived on the day she died. The cover reportedly read: “Sorry it’s your problem now, because I’m dead” — a moment the family said perfectly captured her humour.
Speaking after the funeral, Dermot said Chickie had wanted people to enjoy themselves despite the sadness of the day. He explained that she had requested karaoke at the reception in a nearby bar, saying it reflected her joyful personality.
“Chickie wanted people to have a good time even at her funeral,” he said. “That was very much her personality. She was a joyful, warm person. I’m so sad she is gone.”
Friends from the Mrs Brown’s Boys family were also there to support Dermot. Co-star Paddy Houlihan said he had never seen his longtime friend so devastated, adding that the entire cast was rallying around him.
Chickie’s cancer diagnosis came earlier this year after she travelled to Spain for what was meant to be hernia surgery. Doctors discovered several tumours in her stomach and she was later diagnosed with stage four cancer.
She returned to Ireland for treatment at Beaumont Hospital before being moved to St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown in her final days.
Dermot said doctors had done everything they could, but the chemotherapy had stopped working and Chickie was in severe pain near the end.
Despite the heartbreak, her final farewell reflected the woman her family loved: brave, funny, honest and determined to make people smile — even through tears.
