Episode 5 - A Mother’s Grief: Eileen Loughlin on Losing Her Little Girl

In Episode Five of Parting Words, primary school teacher and content creator Eileen Loughlin shares the story no parent ever imagines telling: the loss of her three‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old daughter, Annabel, after a tragic accident in the family home. What began as an ordinary mid‑term morning became the day that changed everything, as Annabel was airlifted to Temple Street and surrounded by a team of doctors fighting to save her. Eileen recalls lying beside her little girl, singing to her and holding her until she died.
Eileen speaks openly about the surreal days that followed, bringing Annabel home, laying her in her own bed, and the extraordinary support of neighbours, friends and family who kept vigil around the clock. She reflects on the Irish wake, the hundreds who came to her funeral, and the strength of a community that refused to let the family face their grief alone.

She also talks about parenting through loss, from supporting her sons to introducing her youngest daughter Isla to the sister she never met. Annabel remains a daily presence in their home, from the lamp Eileen switches on each morning to the small signs that remind them she is still with them.

Parting Words is proudly supported by An Post Insurance, whose funeral insurance product helps families prepare thoughtfully for life’s most difficult moments.
This is a tender, courageous conversation about love, loss and the ways we carry our children, always.