Opera great Cara O’Sullivan hailed as a true Irish cultural treasure

The tributes were paid at the Requiem Mass for the mother of one who died after a brave battle against early onset dementia.

Because of Covid-19 restrictions, the ceremony at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at The Lough in Cork was private with the mourners led by Ms O'Sullivan's, daughter, Christine, and her siblings Aoife, Nuala and Jim.

Christine paid an emotional tribute to her mother whose life was "a great adventure".

She said one of her mother's proudest moments was being asked to sing the famous Munster rugby anthem Stand Up and Fight.

The Cork star performed the song in Cardiff before the 2006 Heineken Cup final as Munster secured their first ever European title.

"It was a very special time – in 2005 Mum was asked to sing Stand Up and Fight at Thomond Park for Munster Rugby. She was so thrilled to be asked.

"She was asked to sing at other games over the season and went on to the Heineken Cup final in May 2006 in Cardiff and sang at half-time. It was a really special day for us and one we will always remember.

"She continued to sing Stand Up and Fight for over 10 years and really made it her own."

Christine said the Cork and Dublin tribute concerts organised after her mother's 2018 illness diagnosis were deeply touching given the enormous outpouring of support.

"You packed an awful lot into your 58 years," she said in final tribute.

"Donncha O'Callaghan tweeted about Mum during the week and I thought it just perfectly summed Mum up, and our journey to today. Until that bell, the final bell, stand up and fight like hell."

She said the family had been absolutely overwhelmed with messages of support.

"We are all so uplifted by your kindness this week and it has been very special," she said.

Canon Jim O'Donovan hailed Cara as “a colossus of a lady” who had enriched the lives of all she met. She was a wonderful cultural ambassador for Cork and Ireland who did enormous work over the years to support local charities.

Tributes to the star were paid by President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and the Lord Mayor of Cork Joe Kavanagh.

The singer was hailed for "her golden voice."

Ms O'Sullivan died on Tuesday after a long illness. She was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2018 and the illness brought a premature end to a glittering career which had seen the Cork coloratura soprano star at the Paris Opera, the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House.

Her early onset dementia was diagnosed three years ago after she noted something was "a little bit off" with her memory.

She delivered her final public performance at Christmas 2018 – after the soprano had insisted on completing every singing engagement she had committed to.

The singer was famed for her support of charitable events and her sense of humour.

She revelled in referring to herself as 'Caradiva'.