Death of mother after giving birth leaves family ‘stunned by grief’

The sudden death of Tracey Fitzpatrick (36) after giving birth on Easter Monday has left her family " stunned by grief", a Mass has been told

Fr Brendan Howard, parish priest of Ballon-Rathoe, Carlow made this comment in the course of a homily at a special Mass yesterday for the mother-of- three in St Patrick's Church, Rathoe, Carlow.

The deep sorrow being endured by family of the Carlow mother who died unexpectedly after giving birth to her third son on Easter Monday, “is something that only they themselves can know – a kind of grief that is stark, private and exclusive,” he said.

The 36-year-old from Templepeter, outside Nurney, Carlow and a native of Shanvaghera, Knock, Co Mayo, died at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny on Monday after giving birth to her third son, Max.

Shortly after delivery of the child the mother’s condition suddenly deteriorated and she died.

Fr Howard told the congregation: “The shock of this tragedy has stunned the whole parish. For those of us who knew Tracey this occasion has an air of unreality about it. We cannot believe what has happened.

“To her husband, parents and family the event is a nightmare from which they would hope to awaken. The suddenness of Tracey’s passing leaves us stunned by grief.”

The priest said however hard people try they cannot really enter into the desolate world of her family and share their pain of loss.

Some symbols of Tracey's life were brought to the altar at the start of Mass, including a photo of baby Max by Tracey's husband, Bernard and a Leinster jersey symbolising Tracey's move from Mayo to Carlow.

She had reposed at her Templepeter home on Wednesday before removal on Thursday morning to her local church, where members of the local Burren Rangers GAA Club formed a guard of honour.

At the end of Mass Tracey’s remains were borne from the church to the refrain of ‘Going Home’.

Following the Mass her remains were conveyed to the Co Mayo home of Tracey's parents, James and Pauline Campbell at Shanvaghera. From here they will be brought on Friday morning for her requiem funeral Mass in the local St Ann's Church, following which Tracey will be laid to rest in Knock cemetery.

She is mourned by husband, Bernard, sons Jamie, Adam and Max, parents James and Pauline Campbell, sisters Amanda, Paula and Diane, brother Alan, grandmothers Rita (Mayo) and Kitty (Carlow) and extended family.