Ed Sheeran's Grandmother Who Inspired 2017 Hit 'Nancy Mulligan' Has Died

Ed Sheeran's grandmother Anne Mary Mulligan, better known as Nancy Sheeran, has passed away.

According to an obituary, Nancy was hailed as a “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”. 

“Deeply regretted by her loving sons, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, niece, nephews, relatives, friends and neighbours”, the obituary also added. 

'Nancy Mulligan' 

Ann Mary Mulligan, better known as Nancy, was the inspiration behind Ed Sheeran's 2017 hit 'Nancy Mulligan', which peaked at number 13 in the UK charts. 

The song explores the romance between Nancy and her beloved husband Bill Sheeran (Ed's grandfather). Like the song says, the pair married on the Wexford border, despite coming from contrasting religious backgrounds, Bill being a Protestant, and Nancy being a Catholic.

“They got engaged and no one turned up at their wedding”, singer Ed Sheeran had previously said of the song. 

“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. So I thought I’d write a song about it and make it a jig”. 

The couple had 8 children and 23 grandchildren. After raising their children in London, they returned to their native Wexford home of Gorey in 1983.

Speaking of her famous grandson in 2017, a then 92 year old Nancy Sheeran said, “I never think of him as famous, I have to say. He’s exactly the same as he always was – if anything he visits and it’s very rare because he’s always working and when you think we was visiting from the age of 14, I mean you have to feel sorry for him, you know he’s so tired but he loved it”.