A former Irvine schoolteacher has been tragically killed in a car crash.

Maureen Duffy died on Sunday, July 14, following a collision near her home in County Armagh in Northern Ireland.

The death of the 71-year-old will come as a huge blow to the hundreds of Irvine pupils she taught English for more than 20 years at Greenwood Academy.

As well as being a well-loved teacher to many she was a beloved mum to Daughter Siobhan, 43 and Ciaran, 41, and grandmother to Maisy, six and two-year-old Molly.

Distraught son Ciaran told the Times the family have been left absolutely devastated over their mum’s sudden death.

He said: He said: “We are shattered. Both Siobhan and I went to see her and she just looked beautiful. Just like she was sleeping.

“We don’t know exactly what happened with the collision, the police are still investigating it so it will be a while before we know the exact details.

“It’s just been a huge shock. Hard to put in to words. Siobhan had to come to my work to tell me mum had died which was obviously totally devastating. The only saving grace is that both Siobhan and I had just been over to Ireland to see her with our kids and we had spent some really quality time together and I am so glad we did. It was a lovely time we all had together.”

Although she was born in Glasgow, Mrs Duffy had relocated to Ireland where her family originated from, following her retirement.

The mum-of-two spent decades living in Irvine where brought up her children and taught at Greenwood Academy for more than 20 years before moving to teach addition support needs in Auchenharvie Academy in Stevenston for the last five years of her career.

Ciaran says his mum was “always there for him” and would be missed terribly.

He said: “The thing I’m going to miss more than anything is that she was always there for us. She would be the person who I would have gone to, to help me deal with something like this. She always had a solution. But now she’s gone.

“I think others who knew her will remember her as a kind-hearted person who always made time for people.”
Mrs Duffy was cremated at a ceremony in County Armagh this week.

Ciaran and Siobhan will be bringing her ashes home to Irvine to bury in Knadgerhill Ceremony with their father, who passed away six years ago.

The family will also hold a service for their mum this Friday, July 26, at St Mary’s Church.