On Friday night’s Late Late Show, Ryan Tubridy was joined by Gay Byrne’s wife Kathleen Watkins.
The legendary broadcaster sadly passed away last November, following a battle with cancer.
During her interview, Ryan was left speechless when Kathleen offered him one of Gay’s much-loved Toy Show jumpers to raise money for homeless charities this winter.
She made the gift having recently walked around Dublin city centre, seeing the homeless problem first-hand.
Kathleen said: “It really was a shocker. I found the homeless everywhere, three and four people lying side by side, huddled together in doorways. It was really very distressing.”
“We are living in our comfortable homes with our comfortable beds and there are people out there who are really in a very bad way, so, I am hoping that maybe the sweater will help.”
Initially left tongue tied by the generous offer, Ryan promised that the treasured jumper would be used in a “meaningful way” to support the homeless.
Elsewhere in the interview, Kathleen thanked the “entire nation” who wrote letters, cards, notes and sent Mass Cards to her following Gay’s passing.
“They are from the four corners of Ireland and beyond. We knew that Gay was popular and loved but we didn’t know how much but we do now,” she said.
“All during the three years he was so ill people would stop me on the street, men and women, saying tell him we love him… It was just so nice and so essentially Irish and warm and genuine and real and sincere. Everything about it was just beautiful.”
She also told Ryan about Gay’s final days and how the family were able to spend time with him looking out at his favourite view.
“It was wonderful for us to have him at home for days and there was chat around the bed. We angled the bed toward the lighthouse which he loved,” she said.
Kathleen also admitted it was seven months before she could watch the recording of Gay’s funeral.
“I wouldn’t have been able. You go through different stages. I remember somebody saying to me only a few days after Gay died: ‘Do you miss Gay?’ It was an awful thing to say to somebody because really you don’t know somebody is really gone yet, you just don’t,” she said.
“I remember a woman whose son was killed in the Omagh bombing, I remember her talking about him and she was saying ‘he is just gone, he’s gone’ and the word ‘gone’ stuck in my mind. That is what happens. You don’t realise the person is gone yet,” she added.
On this week’s episode of #GossChats, Goss.ie Founder Alexandra Ryan chats to Jackie Fox – who lost her daughter Nicole to suicide after being cyber bullied.
Jackie talks about her fight to get Coco’s Law brought into legislation in Ireland – a new law that will make online bullying a criminal offence.
WARNING – episode contains discussion about self-harming and suicide. If this interview affects you in any way please contact Pieta House.
Please free call the Pieta House 24-hour helpline on 1800 247 247. You can also contact the helpline by text – text HELP to 51444.
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