‘A beautiful, caring girl’: Heartbreak over sudden death of beloved primary school teacher

There's been an outpouring of grief in Belfast over the sudden death of a primary school teacher.

Fionnuala Kennedy, a teacher at St Oliver Plunkett Primary School in West Belfast, passed away on Monday. The mother of one is believed to have died as a result of injuries she sustained in fall at her home in Lisburn on Saturday. She leaves behind her husband Ciaran Hughes and son Lorcan. Patrick McCabe, the principal at the school where Ms Kennedy was class teacher for Year Two, shared the news last night. "Death at any stage is an unspeakable tragedy, but the death of one so young, so full of life, love, compassion and beauty only compounds it further," he said. "This is a young, wonderful life taken too soon. I would ask that you keep Fionnuala, her family and friends in your prayers and thoughts." The school has opened a book of condolences in Ms Kennedy's honour. Many in the school community took to social media to share their upset at sudden loss. "Fionnuala was such a beautiful, caring girl. God bless her family at this heartbreaking time," wrote one woman. "Just devastating, Miss Kennedy taught my son and she was one of the nicest people," commented another. "I felt the heartbreak in the school today. My thoughts and prayers are with Fionnuala and her family," said a third. The nearby St Teresa's Primary School, where her husband is a teacher and her son a pupil, released a statement as news of the woman's death broke.

"Fionnuala was often teaching here in St Teresa's PS as a substitute teacher and also worked in our Whizz Kidz Club during the summer months. "We, the school community, wish to send our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Mr Hughes, Lorcan and Fionnuala's entire family circle at this most difficult time."