Maïa Dunphy 'blindsided by kindness' following mum's passing

The RTÉ presenter's mother Helen passed away on Sunday 

Maïa Dunphy's mother Helen passed away on Sunday Picture: @maiadunphy

RTÉ presenter Maïa Dunphy has said she has been "blindsided by the kindness of people" following her mother's passing.

The presenter shared with her social media followers on Sunday that her mother Helen had passed away after being diagnosed recently with cancer.

On Wednesday, the 45-year-old said she has had to drop out of a number of events next week and she was "so sorry to let people down" but she knows everyone understands.

"We have been blindsided by the kindness of people," she tweeted.

We have been blindsided by the kindness of people. I think Covid isolated us all so much, we forgot a little how important being around other people is. X
(PS we now have enough cake to sustain the entire French population in revolutionary times).

— Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) March 2, 2022

"I think Covid isolated us all so much, we forgot a little how important being around other people is. X (PS we now have enough cake to sustain the entire French population in revolutionary times."

Announcing the death of her mum on Sunday, the presenter wrote that she never trots out platitudes about fighting battles, “because it somehow implies some people don’t fight hard enough.

Maïa and her beloved mum Helen Picture:@maiadunphy

“But my Mum bore her recent awful illness with the same stoicism she has approached everything in life, and those of you who know her well, will know how much has happened in these last difficult weeks and how she showed concern for everyone else until her last breath.” 

The mum-of-one said her mother Helen “didn’t doubt for a second” how much she was loved.

“She and my Dad, her beloved Tom, are married 50 years this Friday and we will be marking it as if she were here,” she shared.

In a touching tribute to her mother, Maïa wrote that she was “a remarkable woman; without pretension and with a very rare self-assuredness that was a testament to all the right choices she made in her life, and the acceptance of things she had no choice over.

Maïa Dunphy's son Tom with his grandpa Tom and grandma Helen Picture:@maiadunphy

“She was the most dedicated Mum anyone could ever imagine, but even that was exceeded by her devotion to her only grandson.

Maïa wrote that her mum “was a second Mum” to her 5-year-old son, and she “simply could not have coped without her help.”

"I’m lost without her already. We love you Mama. Sleep well," she finished.