Laura was a hoot and I am still in shock at how amazing at art she was!! Looking through the portfolio I actually remember some from school - the red haired lady with the flowers in her hair. She was a character and I still think of her whenever 50 cent's song 'Many Men' comes on because we kept singing it on the bus to the airport when we were going to Strasbourg in TY. We didn't know the lyrics so just kept repeating the same words and continued to do this for the whole trip. Thank you for the laughs Laura x

Laura, we are truly blessed to have had you in this world. Your personality and exceptional gifts shine through your artwork. Your art speaks to us all. We did not have the privilege of meeting you but have no doubt that you were an exceptional human who has given light to so many. You and your family and friends are in our hearts and prayers xxx

I just want you to know that you’re loved and valued SO much; we miss you here, the artwork that you’ve left behind adds so much color to our world. I promise to speak loud and long enough about the struggles you went through, so that everyone can hear; I can imagine that it wasn’t easy for you either to cope with what you went through. I promise to keep talking about mental health, your integrity gives me the motivation to keep doing so.
You’re not here, but your story has managed to shed light on such important topics. I know that you are smiling down upon us from a land that keeps you safe.
I may have never known you or your family personally, but my heart is with them and I can feel the hardships of life you endured in your mind.
Sending my prayers and good wishes to you and your loved ones dear. You will forever be remembered.

LAURA
I remember Laura in three stages of life.
As a young child, permanently accompanied by a yellow, eventually battered, “Lala” from the Teletubbies.
As an older child dancing, singing, performing for an audience any of the Spice Girls’ hits - any kitchen or living room sufficed as her stage.

As a young adult, on occasion, I would give her a lift to college on my way to DCU and she would let me in on her latest project in art school.

In such a short, colourful life she accomplished what many strive for but few attain: an eternal legacy through art.
Today, her portraits, images, and sketches seem as fresh as the day her imagination and talent first presented them to paper or canvas - and they will no doubt be so next year and in ten years and...that’s the true magic of real talent.
Speaking as someone who’d struggle to draw a straight line with a ruler, it’s always fascinating to me her ability to capture a moment, an expression or an emotion with a paintbrush or pencil as real as a photo but also tinged with that glimmer of surrealism unique to an artist.
This is what I’ll remember most about Laura.

Laura remembering you today, such a great great loss to all of us. We will never ever forget you, you will never know just how much we all thought of you.

The joy Laura brought from the minute she was born being the first grandchild in our family.She was such a character from a very young age.I remember the first time I held her her piercing blue eyes. I remember her little voice "play with me" as a toddler. I remember her at the shop buying her first bike and zooming around the bike shop with flaming red hair you couldn't miss and the divilment in her face. How we laughed... Her wit, her quirky humour her sensitivity and compassion our little chats and her laugh il always remember and cherish along with the memories of her first time holding my baby in her arms. So Beautiful, so loved, so talented. Always in my heart and my mind.Memories never leave us and remain cherished.

Laura was brilliant in every sense, looking back on her creations from secondary school brought back so many memories. We used to sit beside each other in Ms.Murrays art. I brought her in the shoe she used to model the converse-croc piece. She didn’t know someone with big enough feet for it and I did. She used to make me laugh, not in a giggle way, in a explosive laughter way. This may have caused a bit of disruption to the class but it didn’t matter because Laura was getting As in art regardless (me, not so much!). She was funny in a different sense that you couldn’t predict what was next, and that for me was the most enjoyable aspect of being her friend. Naturally secondary school ended and everyone saw less of each other, but those nights on the dance floor in Sally’s made up for it! What a legend ❤️

I loved them,some of it shouting but still peaceful, seemed laura the artist has sculptured part of her soul in these drawings. That's a real art.