The Embassy of Ireland in Luxembourg announced the news of her passing. They wrote:
It is with great sadness that we share the news of last Saturday’s passing of May Bretin, RIP.
May was one of the early pillars of the Irish community in Luxembourg. She came to Luxembourg in the middle sixties, even before Ireland joined the then EEC. For many years she welcomed newly arriving Irish people into her home for a meal, including Ireland’s first Ambassador to Luxembourg Valentine Iremonger, back in 1974. She was the first Irish Chair of the Irish International Bazar Committee. May’s openness and welcome remains a hallmark of the Irish community in Luxembourg, and those who knew her have very fond memories of her. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her husband Pierre, her children Pauline, Pierre, Sean and Patrick, and all of the family.
A funeral mass was held at St Alphonse Church, Luxembourg City on the afternoon of Thursday, 5 November. The mass was live-streamed via Facebook, and people left their tributes to May:
A recording of the service is available here.
