Linda Nolan, whose funeral took place on Saturday, enjoyed an incredible life surrounded by loved ones. But one painful regret continued to haunt her as she entered her later years
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Linda Nolan funeral: Coffin leaves church after service
Linda Nolan lived an extraordinary life filled with accomplishments and love, but she harboured one painful regret.
Pop icon Linda, who rose to fame with her sisters in Irish girl group The Nolans, passed away “peacefully” last month surrounded by loved ones, at the age of 65. Linda had lived with cancer for many years, having first been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. In March 2023, it was revealed the disease had spread to her brain.
Reading a deeply personal eulogy at Linda’s funeral on Saturday, her sister Denise, who had cared for Linda in her home during the final 18 months of her long battle with cancer, laughed between tears and gushed over Linda’s special talent.
“She had an amazing way with children which I envied. She was like the pied piper, they were immediately drawn to her. I think a big regret was not having children of her own,” she revealed.
“All her nieces and nephews and eventually, THEIR children, adored her, and because she did like a Gin or two —or three! Great niece Ava, Maureen’s oldest granddaughter christened her Aunty Ginda.”
Despite expressing gratitude for all the joy she’d experienced over the years, Linda never shied away from sharing the heartaches she endured – including her regrets over never had children of her own.
Looking back on her eventful life, Linda told RSVP Magazine in 2021: “My only regret in life is that I didn’t have children and that is nobody’s fault but my own. The reason I didn’t have children is because I let my career get in the way and I thought, ‘No, I will wait’. But I don’t dwell on it, and I don’t cry whenever I see a baby.”
Linda, who tragically tost husband Brian Hudson to cancer in 2007, also spoke about not having children in her 2018 autobiography From My Heart, where she discussed what she would have done differently if she could have her “time again”.
She wrote: “It was completely down to my career and the idea that I had all the time in the world, and then you realise you don’t. Instead of putting it off year after year, if I had my time again, I would have said to Brian, ‘Well, no time is perfect, let’s have a child’.”
Although she never fulfilled her wish, Linda was a stepmother to Brian’s children, Lloyd and Sarah and was also a foster carer. As the sixth of eight children, she also welcomed many nieces, nephews, and eventually great-nieces and great-nephews.
In a statement released to the Mirror, Linda’s agent Dermot McNamara said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Nolan, the celebrated Irish pop legend, television personality, Guinness World Record-holding West End star, Sunday Times bestselling author and Daily Mirror columnist.”
The statement continued: “She passed peacefully, with her loving siblings by her bedside, ensuring she was embraced with love and comfort during her final moments. Linda’s legacy extends beyond her incredible achievements in music and entertainment. She was a beacon of hope and resilience, sharing her journey to raise awareness and inspire others. Rest in peace, Linda. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.”
And in a heartbreaking tribute posted to Instagram, grieving sister Coleen wrote: “I am utterly devastated by the passing of my sister, Linda. Linda was a beacon of love, kindness, and strength. Her wit, humour and laughter was infectious, her presence could light up any room.
“Linda had a heart full of compassion and always knew how to bring comfort and joy to those around her. Her memory will live on in the many lives she touched, and while we will miss her more than words can express, we take solace in the love and warmth she shared with all of us. Rest in peace, Linda. You will forever be in our hearts. Love you, Coleen xxx (Colette)”
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