RTÉ's Caitríona Perry remembers 'beautiful' Keelin Shanley on second anniversary

The journalist and broadcaster passed away in February 2020 aged 51 after a battle with cancer.

Caitríona and Keelin worked together at RTÉ for many years and co-anchored the Six One News before Ms Shanley became ill with cancer.

The pair were close friends, and Caitríona took to Instagram on Tuesday to pay tribute to her “beautiful” pal.

She wrote: “Thinking especially of this beautiful woman today. Two years gone but always on our minds and in our hearts. x #keelinshanley”

Caitríona has previously spoken about her relationship with Ms Shanley and revealed that she knew her friend was sick long before anyone else.

She explained that Keelin had been ill before taking on a job on the Six One News but was determined to continue working.

Speaking to the Irish Independent six months after Ms Shanley’s death, Caitríona said: “She was sick before she took on the Six One, but the only people who knew were me and our boss. So she and I were carrying that secret, and you have to have massive respect for someone who does what we do.

“For Keelin, journalism was a vocation and part of who she was. She wanted to work on, and write her book because she didn't want to just be this sick person.

“Everyone deals with these things in their own way. The work was important to her. We are a family in RTÉ and people give out, and they're entitled to their opinions, but we have each other's backs.

"You work incredibly long hours and you're in very difficult situations, so you form really close bonds with people, whatever their job title is.”