Laura Bernal
Argentine Ambassador to Ireland
In office
2016 – 26 April 2020
Succeeded byMoira Wilkinson
Personal details
Born1956
Argentina
Died26 April 2020(2020-04-26) (aged 63–64)
Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland
Resting placeFoxford, County Mayo, Ireland
OccupationDiplomat

Laura Bernal (1956 – 26[a] April 2020) was an Argentine diplomat. She served as Argentina's ambassador to Ireland from 2016 until her sudden death in 2020.[1] She was present in the country for her compatriot Pope Francis's visit to Ireland as part of World Meeting of Families 2018.[2]

Bernal was from Buenos Aires.[3] She died at her Rathmines[4] home on 26 April 2020 and was found post-mortem[5] to have contracted COVID-19.[2][4][5] At the request of her sister and due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, Bernal's body was not repatriated.[5] Her funeral took place on 15 May at St Michael's parish church in Foxford and she was buried afterwards at nearby Craggagh Cemetery.[2][5][6] Foxford is where Admiral William Brown (who founded the Argentine Navy) was born, hence this choice.[5] As well as her sister, Bernal was survived by her nieces, nephews and a sister-in-law.[2][7]

Notes

  1. ^ The Irish Times gave her date of death as 27 April. However, other sources — including the subject's own death notice — gave her date of death as 26 April.

References

  1. ^ "Argentine Ambassador to Ireland to be laid to rest in Foxford". Mayo Advertiser. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d McGreevy, Ronan (15 May 2020). "Argentina's ambassador to Ireland buried in Co Mayo: The mass of Laura Bernal held in Foxford after she died suddenly of virus aged 64". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Argentine Ambassador to Ireland to be laid to rest in Mayo". The Connaught Telegraph. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b Dunne, William (14 May 2020). "Ireland's Argentine Ambassador to be buried in Foxford, Co Mayo due to special connection". Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e McGrath, Pat (15 May 2020). "Funeral of Argentinian Ambassador takes place in Mayo". RTÉ News. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  6. ^ Hennessy, Michelle (15 May 2020). "Argentinian Ambassador to Ireland to be buried in Mayo: Laura Bernal died suddenly in Dublin last month". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Death Notice of Ambassador Laura Bernal". RIP.ie. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
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