‘I’m still in shock, you know he is gone but it is just so hard to believe’

The heartbroken partner of a Dunshaughlin man who tragically passed away from a sudden brain aneurysm at just 57 leaving behind a young family has praised the local community for their support.

Colin Newport’s life support machine was switched off just two days after being admitted to ICU leaving his partner of 21 years Elaine Irwin devastated.

In a harrowing twist of events, Colin’s elderly father who lives in London lost his battle to Covid-19 just two weeks before his son died and had not even been laid to rest when Colin passed away.

As Elaine tries to come to terms with the terrible loss of the man and she loved and father of their three children Cleo (10), Elliot (7) and Layn (2) she has reflected on the ‘wonderful and protective partner’ who ‘supported her in everything she did’.

Describing how quickly her world changed last month she said

“On the Monday evening 18th May we were both after finishing work and Colin just went upstairs to have a shower and my eldest came down to say dad needs you, something is wrong and when I went up he said Elaine I feel like my head is about to explode, they were his exact words.

“He just got a pounding headache and I called the ambulance within five minutes but by the time they took him out he was unconscious.

“He was brought to Connolly Hospital where they did a CT scan, they thought they would be rushing him over to Beaumont at that stage but the bleed was so excessive there was just nothing they could do for him.

“I spoke to the doctors the next day and they said they would be making the clinical decision to turn off the ventilator on the Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s all a blur, I really don’t even recall a lot of it, it was disbelief I suppose.

“For me thinking about Colin, anything short of a full recovery being the type of person he was wouldn’t have been what he wanted.

“We’d of course do anything to have him here and it was heart-breaking but knowing that he was never going to make a full recovery we just had to accept it.

“I’m still in shock, in comes in waves, you know it’s happened and you know he is gone but it is just hard to believe.

“Colin’s dad who was 82 died two weeks beforehand on May 5th. He had sepsis, an abscess on his liver then he got Covid and that’s what killed him, he had really gone through the mill.

“Colin idolised his dad and was devastated by his death, it hit him really hard and the fact that he wasn’t there when he died was tough.

“They only buried him last Wednesday.

Speaking on how they met and how Colin was not one to go unnoticed in the village the grieving Dunshaughlin mum said: “Colin was over for the weekend and we met in Copper Face Jack’s nightclub in Dublin. We have been together 21 years.

“He was born and raised in London, his family is from South America.

“He was in the rag trade for years and everyone would comment on how well dressed he was and his sense of style around the village.

“He was a very stylish, very handsome man. He worked hard and loved his holidays and was all about family.

“The kids idolised him, the baby still asks for him.

“We were together for ten years before we had children so we had spent a lot of time together we did a lot of travelling.

“He was quite a bit older than me so he all about me doing my thing and living my life, he was always very encouraging and supportive even with my job and the promotions and the late nights.

“He always pushed more to reach my potential and do what I wanted to do.

“I’ll miss everything about him, he put us first and I’ll miss not having that protective element knowing that somebody is there for you. I try not to think of the enormity of having three small children and practicalities around that.”

Elaine who works in logistics for a freight company says the lockdown was ‘a blessing in disguise’ for the family who will forever cherish those precious few months spent together at home.

“With three small kids, school, activities and parties and both working life was just mental so we spent the most valuable time together as a family but also me and Colin as a couple.

“The community has been absolutely amazing, people are very kind and have given us so much support, it keeps us going.”

Friends and neighbours of Elaine have organised an event July 18th in memory of Colin.

The event will be a 5k walk/run and as a tribute to Colin’s love of family and fashion they are asking everyone to dress up for fun.

All funds raised are in Colin’s memory and will go towards supporting his young family.

Pictured: Colin Newport, with partner Elaine and children, Cleo (10), Elliot (7) and Layn (2)