Tributes have been paid to the late Lorraine Cox-Connolly, hailed as a "very thoughtful" person who "put everybody in front of herself".

Lorraine (42), late of Derrylin, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Friday, July 15 following a battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

"She was a very strong personality," said Maurice Connolly, speaking admirably of his late wife, Lorraine, who he went on to describe as a "very thoughtful" person who put others first.

Growing up, Lorraine lived in Moyne, Co. Longford. "That's where she went to school and where a lot of her friends are from," said Maurice, noting that when her parents moved to Teemore, Lorraine remained living in Longford, and worked in banking in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim.

"We met in 2002 and got married in 2004, then she moved to Derrylin," he added. "She was still working in Carrick-on-Shannon and she was still travelling up and down.

"Then she went freelance as a make-up artist," said Maurice, noting that she loved her job, and even when she was diagnosed with MND, she kept working until she physically couldn't hold make-up brushes.

Lorraine has three children – Ethan, Saorcha and Lewis – who she loved dearly. "She was a brilliant mother to them," said Maurice.

Talking about Lorraine's interests, Maurice said: "She liked socialising, swimming and music."

He went on to note that not only did she enjoy music, Lorraine was a keen musician, and was very talented at playing guitar.

It was whilst practising guitar that her first symptoms of MND became evident.

"The first initial symptoms we would have found was in her playing music. She was just not fit to catch the chords with her left hand as she used to.

"That was the first initial sign; we didn't think much of it. We just thought it was a sore hand, or she might have hurt her hand a wee bit, but that was the initial sign of MND," said Maurice, noting how Lorraine was formally diagnosed with MND in 2018, and there was no family history of the illness.

"Lorraine wasn't the type to complain. You'd never know how bad she was. Then, in the middle of her MND, she was also diagnosed with breast cancer.

"Between battling with her MND and battling with her breast cancer, never once did she complain," he added.

Following her diagnosis with MND, Lorraine launched a legal bid over the definition of terminal illness, after she was refused access to special rules to obtain disability benefits, because she was not able to demonstrate that her death was reasonably expected within six months.

The special rules for terminal illness allow terminally ill claimants to be fast-tracked access to benefits without the need for additional assessment and conditionality.

SEE ALSO: Landmark ruling in Derrylin woman’s High Court challenge

Lorraine was assisted in her case by Law Centre NI, with support from The PILS Project. In 2020, she was successful in her challenge at the High Court, with Mr. Justice McAlinden handing down a decision that the difference in treatment for terminally ill claimants who cannot reasonably meet the six-month criterion was deemed to be discriminatory.

At the time of the landmark ruling, Lorraine said: "I have been clear from the outset in taking this challenge forward that what I and others have had to go through is unfair.

"At a time when I should have been focusing on spending the remainder of my life with my family and friends, I have instead had to go through this ordeal.

“I feel my decision has been justified, and I hope not a single person has to go through the same experience again. I hope the six-month rule can now be scrapped as quickly as possible to ensure that is the case.”

Explaining that Lorraine "put everybody in front of herself", Maurice said: "She was always thinking about everybody else, and probably that's why she was so adamant with her case, where she got the law changed.

"Basically, she stood up for people's rights, for everybody that would be affected by terminal illness."

Lorraine's funeral was arranged by the Patrick Blake Group. Requiem Mass took place at St. Ninnidh's Church, Derrylin, on Sunday, July 17, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

"You'd know she was well loved in the community by the amount of people that were at the funeral and at the graveside.

"The priest said that it's been a long, long time since he saw as many at the church," said Maurice.

Lorraine will be sadly missed by her family, close circle of friends, and all who knew and loved her.