'I'm so sorry you were so badly failed': Irish Examiner readers pay tribute to Vicky Phelan

As the country mourns the loss of Vicky Phelan, our readers have been sharing their tributes

Vickey Phelan at the National Book Awards. 

Our online book of condolence is open where readers can pay tribute to Vicky Phelan, who has passed away aged 48. Please let us know what Vicky meant to you. 

The common thread from our readers is admiration for a woman who refused to back down in the face of the fight for her life.

Patricia observed her enjoying dinner recently, noting that there was "something about her". Derek Farrell met her at a train station, throwing his arms around her to give her a hug of gratitude. "She seemed embarrassed," he says. Mary O'Hara says, "You should not have had to do the endless hours of campaigning alongside dealing so bravely with your own illness. But because you did many women will be saved." 

For more tributes to Vicky, read the entries below