Healy-Rae formed special bond with glamour model

KERRY mayor Michael Healy-Rae formed a special bond with Katy French during their time together on the Celebrities Go Wild TV series.

Last night he was “deeply saddened” on hearing of her death. “I’m shocked and gutted. She’s a great loss and will be remembered fondly, always,” he said.

Mr Healy-Rae had met with the model’s family, earlier yesterday, after a late night drive from Kerry to the hospital, in Meath, where she was battling for her life.

“I’m now glad I made that journey and that I met her father, mother and sister in their hour of great anxiety,” said Mr Healy-Rae.

“Her father, John, made a particular request to me to thank everyone in the country for the support they gave the French family in the past week,” he said.

The last time Mr Healy-Rae saw Katy alive was at her 24th birthday party at the Krystle Nightclub, in Dublin, last Thursday night.

“We did a lot of photos together and she was in powerful form. She wasn’t drinking alcohol and gave me a kiss when I was leaving to drive back to Kerry. That was the last time I spoke to her,” he said.

The Kerry politician gave her a birthday present of one of his trademark peaked caps.

Mr Healy-Rae said while Katy had the image of being a sophisticated, glamorous model, the nicest thing about was her “ordinariness”. He said: “She was very down-to-earth when she had to be and if there was any kind of job to be done, she’d do it. She was not afraid of hard graft.”

Mr Healy-Rae and Katy shared a tent during the filming of Celebrities Go Wild in the west of Ireland.

Mr Healy-Rae went on to become the outright winner.