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Ed Sheeran's beloved Irish grandmother Nancy has died
Home>News
Updated 09:59 2 May 2023 GMT+1Published 09:31 2 May 2023 GMT+1

Ed Sheeran's beloved Irish grandmother Nancy has died

Nancy inspired one of her grandson's hit songs

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

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Ed Sheeran's grandmother has passed away.

Anne Mary Mulligan, who was known as Nancy, died at her care home, it's been confirmed.

Nancy was responsible for one of her grandson's hit songs, called 'Nancy Mulligan', which was inspired by the story of how she married the singer's grandfather William, a Protestant dentist.

Speaking back in 2017, Sheeran told Zane Lowe: "They got engaged and no one turned up at their wedding.

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"He stole all the gold teeth in his dental surgery and melted them down into a wedding ring, and they wore borrowed clothes to get married, and just basically have this kind of Romeo and Juliet romance, which is like the most romantic thing.

Nancy inspired one of her grandson's hit songs.
RTE

"So I thought I'd write a song about it and make it a jig."

After the song was released, a video began doing the rounds that showed Nancy listening to it for the first time.

Speaking about her grandson's fame, she told RTE that he was just the same little boy she always knew and loved.

"I’ll never think of him as being famous, I have to say," she said.

"He’s exactly the same as he always is when he visits.

"And it’s very rare because he’s always working and when you think he was working from the age of 14, you’d have to feel sorry for him, you know he’s so tired but he loved it."

Sheeran also wrote the song 'Supermarket Flowers' about his late maternal grandmother, whom he was also incredibly close to.

Sadly, however, it's now been announced that Nancy passed away at her nursing home on 25 April.

A family notice reads: "Anne Mary Sheeran (née Mulligan) Craan, Craanford, Gorey, Co. Wexford. Died 25th April 2023 peacefully at Castle Gardens Nursing Home Enniscorthy. Beloved wife of the late Bill and loving mother of Jim, Bill, Peter, Chris, John, MaryAnne, Bridget and the late Sally and sister of the late Thomas, Jim, May and Peggy.

Sheeran with grandmother Nancy.
RTE

"Deeply regretted by her loving sons, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, niece, nephews, relatives, friends and neighbours. May She Rest In Peace."

RIP Nancy.

Featured Image Credit: RTE

Topics: Ed Sheeran

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

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@SmithersDom

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