Best-selling Irish author Anita Notaro has passed away this week following a long battle with dementia.
Tributes to the best-selling author and former RTÉ director have been pouring in as news of her untimely death broke on Wednesday.
Ms Notaro, who battled breast cancer in 2005, was diagnosed with front-temporal dementia in 2011. Writer of six books, her last book A Moment Like This was finished before her diagnosis and was then released in 2012.
She left her career in TV, where she was well known and respected for having directed the Eurovision Song Contest and episodes of Fair City, in order to become a writer and went on to win the Popular Fiction Book of the Year in 2008.
Married to her husband Gerry since 2004, he wrote a tribute to his wife at the back of her last book saying, “Sadly, Anita became ill shortly after completing this novel.”
A statement on the Eurovision Ireland website read; “We here at Eurovision Ireland extend our deepest condolences to Anita’s family. She will be deeply missed but certainly not forgotten.”
Tributes have been pouring in over Twitter and other social media since the news was announced.
Anita Notaro. A flame extinguished, her laughter and energy lives on. RIP.
— keith (@keith1275) November 26, 2014
Very sad to hear of the passing of much loved Irish author Anita Notaro who had been ill for some time. A… http://t.co/eVBLik8xw8
— Sheila O’Flanagan (@sheilaoflanagan) November 26, 2014
Sad to hear of the death of author, Anita Notaro after a long illness.I hope this lovely lady has found peace. RIP pic.twitter.com/Dcs5AN16Te
— Colette Caddle (@colettecaddle) November 26, 2014
So very sad to hear of Anita Notaro’s passing. I will always remember her as a witty, warm and welcoming lady. RIP
— Niamh Greene (@Niamh_Greene) November 26, 2014
Very sad to hear about the passing of Anita Notaro. She seemed to endure her illness very bravely and her husband is such a strong man.
— Karen Mulreid (@beatingblog) November 26, 2014
RIP Anita Notaro. My thoughts are with her husband Gerry. It’s all so very sad #dementia #RIPAnitaNotaro
— Miriam Dowling (@mirmo2010) November 26, 2014
So sad to hear about the wonderful Anita notaro, a fun and bright friend. May she be at peace, she deserves it x
— Audrey McDonald (@maudymac) November 26, 2014
