Muireann O’Connell has shared that working on The Six O’Clock Show was a “brilliant distraction” when her dad was sick with cancer. Her father, Brendan, unfortunately, passed away earlier this year.
Speaking with The Irish Sun, Muireann revealed that being able to go to work and enjoy the work that she does, was a “brilliant distraction” for her at the time.
“There were times when I would be like, ‘I’m not going to work I’m staying at home,’ and he [her father] wouldn’t let me. He would be like, ‘No get on the telly I want to see if you’re there,’ it’s a great way for parents to check up on you.
“I was going up and down as much as I could and the Sunday before he walked me to the door and he said, ‘Get out, get out’.
“So I drove straight back down on the Monday after work and it was the most unbelievable distraction, like a really, really good distraction.
“The people I work with are just lovely, great people so I was so blessed to have that job when all this was going on in the background. I was incredibly happy cause they’re just great people.”
Continuing, Muireann opened up about the time before her father’s passing. “Dad felt like him almost until the very end, he kind of couldn’t talk in the last day, he was still himself but it was his bloody body that was failing him and these people came in and they give dignity.
“He got to die at home which is all he wanted to do and they made that happen and it’s so selfless to do this job.”
Muireann also added that the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing service was an amazing help to them. “They just want to ease pain and enable someone to stay in their own house which is a gift.
“It was a gift and I’ll never be able to thank them enough for what they have done ever.”