A YOUNG Cushendall woman has been remembered as the "life and soul of the village" after losing her fight to leukaemia just six weeks after being diagnosed with the disease.
Tierna McMullan (22), who was the daughter of prominent Sinn Féin politician Oliver McMullan, passed away peacefully at the Royal Victoria Hospital yesterday surrounded by her family.
Mr McMullan, a former MLA and councillor, and his wife Sinead, last night spoke of their profound shock at the suddeness of their youngest child's death and said they had been planning to go to a family wedding with her less than two months ago.
A winner of two Special Olympic medals in 2010, Tierna, who had Down's Syndrome, was "never in the house", according to her parents and was a member of the local golf club and loved GAA, bowling and dancing.
The Antrim GAA senior hurlers donated a signed jersey which she wore in hospital.
The Co Antrim woman was also a "computer fanatic" and "very intelligent", her family said.
Such was her popularity that a London-based camogie team, 'Tara', formerly managed by Tierna's brother, Padraig, has raised more than £5000 for the ICU in the Royal - saying 'Teeny McMullan was their number one supporter".
Mrs McMullan said there no warning symptoms until Tierna's face became swollen and her eye turned black around seven weeks ago.
"I took her to get her bloods done. She also had a sore thumb and I told the doctor she just 'wasn't herself'. An x-ray was carried out but nothing showed up," she told The Irish News.
"About a week later, Tierna ,who has Down's syndrome, was going for her first yearly appointment with her day centre. We got a call from Antrim Area Hospital that evening telling us to come straight away. She was in her pyjamas as she was getting ready for a bath and I remember the hospital staff saying to me 'Tierna won't be going home'.
"She was transferred to the City the next night and remained there for three weeks before being moved to the Royal. Because of coronavirus I was the only one allowed to visit her, which was tough - but we were all called back to be with her at 5am before she passed away at 8.05am. The staff in both the City and Royal were wonderful. They couldn't do enough for her."
Mr McMullan said they had been inundated with messages of support as "everyone knew her".
"Tierna was so full of life, she just filled our house. She was a party girl and even though she had Down's she was treated no differently and went out with all her brothers and sisters. She was the life and soul of the village - and the boss of our home."
