Travellers from across Europe turn out to pay respects to ‘Lady Diana’ of gypsies
Gypsy queen finally laid to rest after fierce battle against cancer
A “GYPSY Queen” described as the "Lady Diana of the travelling community" was laid to rest today after passing away following a long battle with cancer last week.
Last month travellers from across Europe arrived in sports cars to say goodbye to Violet Crumlish, 59, when she was being treated for terminal bowel cancer in Bristol.
Since mid-August makeshifts camps have been set up on Durdham Downs in Sneyd Park, as well as Lockleaze, Horfield, Clifton, Bedminster and Stoke Gifford.
The mother-of-13 passed away on Saturday at Northern Ireland Hospice in Belfast surrounded by all of her children and their partners.
Her family flew her body back to Ireland for a royal send off, and her family expected hundreds of people to attend.
One of Violet's five sons, Jimmy, said: "All of the ferries to Ireland from England and Europe are booked up for the next three days - people are coming from all over the world to say goodbye.
"She was a lovely caring woman.
"She would never seen anyone wronged or harmed, her door was always open to everyone no matter who you were. She was completely non-judgemental."
The wake was held in Belfast on Tuesday and her funeral took place in County Armagh today.
A white horse-drawn hearse carried Ms Crumlish’s coffin to St Peter’s Church in Lurgan for noon Requiem Mass.
Ten black limousines were organised for the cortege and red carpet laid out and white doves released at the graveside at St Colman’s cemetery for her burial.
Two flatbed lorries were needed to carry the huge amounts of wreaths and flowers.
Among the scores of colourful floral tributes were ones in the shape of a Chanel handbag, a caravan, bingo board, iPhone, lipstick, single cigarette, bottles of wine and alcopop.
A number of life-sized photos of the grandmother were also displayed inside the church and at the graveside, as well as portraits of her extended family.
During Requiem Mass Parish Priest Fr Joseph Wozniak described Ms Crumlish as a "very gentle and kind person".
He said: "She never criticised anybody and was fondly described by family members as the Traveller Queen.
"Violet was a brilliant mother and grandmother. She was also like a mother to many in the Travelling community."
peaking about those who visited Violet son, Owen Crumlish, said: "The hospital staff made her very peaceful and very comfortable.
"About 9,000 people came to see her in total and she was very touched. She had a lot of friends and people came from all over the world to see her.
"She had five sons and eight daughters and too many grandchildren to count, but she was also a mother figure to so many others in the community.
"She was married to my father for 44 years and he has been left heartbroken."
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