Tributes paid to ‘caring and gentle’ Judy Fitzgerald

Tributes were paid for Judy Fitzgerald following the sad news of the ‘caring and gentle’, model, nurse and midwife’s unexpected passing

Sadness as tributes paid to the “caring and gentle” Judy Fitzgerald, a Limerick model, nurse and midwife with a “heart of gold”

There is a huge sadness felt in Limerick and beyond as many pay tribute to Judy Fitzgerald, following the sad news of the Miss Bikini Ireland champion, frontline nurse and midwife’s unexpected passing.

the 32-year-old was crowned Miss Bikini Ireland 2014 and went on to represent Ireland on some of the biggest stages around the world in fitness and beauty pageants. A University College Cork (UCC) graduate, Judy displayed her care and compassion as a midwife and working as a frontline nurse while balancing her modelling career.

In February 2015, Judy was invited to New York Fashion week where she modelled in the grande finale in the Broadway Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Times Square, Manhattan. She returned to New York fashion week in September, hosting Couture Fashion Week New York and Modelled for the second time.

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In June 2016, Judy had a record-breaking day at the NIFMA WBFMA Mr & Miss Irish European Fitness Model Championships in Dublin where she walked away with four European titles, coming first in all of the categories that she entered.

More recently, Judy represented Team Ireland at the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion (WBFF) World Championships in the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, Nevada in August 2022, and recently announced she had become a WBFF Pro athlete.

In late 2022, Judy launched a fitness app and website to help those with “gym anxiety” allowing them to workout from home bringing her passion for fitness and and care together. Judy was a mental health advocate and gave up much of her free time to support charities, with some of her efforts including a 1,100km cycle as well as undertaking a skydive to highlight awareness.

Judy leaves behind a legacy of hard work, care, and pride in representing Ireland and the goals she has achieved which can be seen from the tributes paid on her social media.

Some of her fans and friends leave messages of condolences and sadness, with many saying they are “lost for words” and one describing Judy as a “sweet girl with a heart of Gold and the brightest future ahead”, others saying Judy will have “an eternal place in our hearts”.

Among those paying tributes are some of those Judy cared for in her nursing and midwifery role, some saying she is a beautiful “midwife who cared” and she left a lasting impression with her “caring and gentle soul” as a “kind and selfless” person.

Richard Lynch of I Love Limerick paid a tribute, saying, “I worked with Judy many times, she is an amazing person. She will be sadly missed and we are all thinking about her and her family at this present time.”

Judy is sadly missed by her parents Liam and Imelda, sister Lucy, brother William, brother-in-law Pedro, and the extended members of the Fitzgerald and Martin Families and a large circle of friends.

Reposing this Wednesday evening, May 31, at Cross’s Funeral Home, Lower Gerald Griffin St, Limerick from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Requiem Mass on Thursday at 12 noon in St Nessan’s Church, Raheen followed by burial in Castlemungret Cemetery. House strictly private.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h’anam dílis

Read more about Judy’s accomplishments here and here.