A HOMELESS woman who died in a shop doorway in Belfast was a "beautiful person" who struggled with her "demons", mourners were told at her funeral yesterday.
Catherine Kenny, a mother-of-one, was found dead on Saturday morning – the fifth person to die in Belfast this year who had been receiving help from homeless charities.
Crowds of mourners gathered in Downpatrick, Co Down, where she was originally from, for her Requiem Mass at St Patrick's Church.
The 32-year-old was buried at St Patrick's Cemetery, Killough Road, with her late parents Michael and Kathleen.
Earlier this week her family opened up about her struggles with drugs and alcohol that led to her living on the streets.
In a packed church yesterday, Fr John Murray described her death as "sad and lonely in human terms, in a city centre doorway".
The parish priest told mourners that Ms Kenny "always knew that she was surrounded by love".
"She struggled with her own particular demons, but what came across was her own kindness," he said.
"That seed of kindness was always there no matter how difficult her circumstances."
Fr Murray said a chaplain at Hydebank prison where Ms Kenny spent some time described her as a "beautiful person" who always attended Masses.
During the service her sister Lee-Maria Hughes read a poignant poem by her husband Darren, written from Ms Kenny's perspective, which was met with applause from the congregation.
Ms Kenny is survived by her son Calum, throught to be aged around 10, her brother David, and sisters Paula and Lee-Maria.
She died in the same shop doorway where her partner William 'Jimmy' Coulter, from the Ligoniel area of Belfast, lost his life last month.
Police are investigating the cause of her death but a crime is not suspected.
Floral tributes, balloons and poignant handwritten messages have formed a shrine at the shop doorway at the corner of Donegall Place and Castle Lane.
Earlier this week Ms Hughes described how drugs had a significant impact on her younger sister's life.
"We had a very intense and long battle with Catherine and her addiction to alcohol and drugs," she said.
"We've been dealing with this since Catherine was 16, but back then it was never hard drugs. But then they gripped her with a vengeance."
There are around 20 people sleeping rough each night in Belfast city centre.
Last month, Belfast's lord mayor held an emergency meeting of agencies that work with homeless people following the death of a man in a shop doorway on High Street in February.
