LIMERICK is this week mourning a woman who worked tirelessly and used her singing talents to raise money for breast cancer. Julie-Anne Dineen was diagnosed with breast cancer more than three years ago and then became an ambassador for fundraising for the cause. She released her charity single “Do You Believe,” which reached no 1 in the Irish Singles Chart in March 2009, and topped the charts for a week. The proceeds went to the Symptomatic Breast Cancer unit at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Ireland, where Julie-Anne had just finished treatment for breast cancer.
She was nominated for Limerick Person of the Year 2009 after the recording.
She completed a tour of Limerick schools where she performed her chart topping song and worked to spread a cancer aware message. She followed her chart success with a Top 3 hit in Ireland, a cover of River Deep – Mountain High released in October 2009.
Julie-Anne lived with her husband Dave and sons Sean (12) and Matty (8) in Corbally, and the family had just recently moved to their new home in Adare.
With her husband and other friends and supporters, the former Bunratty singer raised thousands for the charity, organising events including the Limerick Jigs and Reels.
John Galvin, who worked with the couple in fundraising, said Julie-Anne was “a remarkable woman. What she has done is indescribable, doing so much fundraising and so much good while she and Dave were raising their children. They are a remarkable family”.
40 year old Julie-Anne passed away on Sunday last. She was buried after requiem mass in St Joseph’s Church this Wednesday morning.
