Tributes to ‘adored’ mother who died after car entered River Lee in Cork.

Tributes are being paid to an “adored” mother who died on Friday after the car she was in with her two young children entered the River Lee in Cork city.

Gillian Daly, 44, who lived in Douglas, died after her car entered the River Lee from Kennedy Quay in the city centre.

At the time the car entered the water, Ms Daly had two young sons with her, but they managed to escape from the car and were pulled to safety by emergency crews with non-life-threatening injuries.

After being checked up and treated briefly at Cork University Hospital, the boys (aged 12 and 10) returned to the care of their father.

Ms Daly is survived by her husband John, parents John Joe and Helen, her three siblings and her two sons.

She has been remembered as a "wonderful" mother who "adored" her children and was described as someone who gave "memories full of laughter" to many and as a "beautiful soul".

Rescuers were quickly on the scene on Friday after onlookers who witnessed the incident called for help. After volunteers with Cork Missing Persons Search and Recovery arrived, the location on the riverbed of the vehicle was located.

But by the time Gillian was pulled from the car, she had sadly died.  It is understood that the incident is being treated as a tragic accident.

Mrs Daly will lie in repose at the home of her parents-in-law in Kinsale on Monday before a requiem mass takes place on Tuesday morning in St Patrick’s Church, Millstreet, which will be livestreamed.