'Courage, inspiration, defiance and resilience': Vicky Phelan awarded the Freedom of Limerick

“Sometimes it's a hard thing to ask a hard question but if your life is on the line, you certainly should be asking questions."

Vicky Phelan has become the 72nd person to receive the Freedom of Limerick. Picture: Alan Place

"If we were to build a role model, it would be in the likeness of Vicky Phelan. It would be built, piece by piece, on the traits synonymous with Vicky Phelan – courage, honesty, decency, integrity, strength, selflessness."

Those were the words of Mayor of Limerick Daniel Butler as he granted the Freedom of Limerick to the CervicalCheck campaigner in a special ceremony.