Irish radio and television star Gerry Ryan left more than €1.3m in assets to his estranged wife Morah, but his partner Melanie Verwoerd won’t get a cent.
These revelations come just over a year after Ryan’s death. The broadcaster died after taking cocaine in April last year and did not change his will after he separated from Morah, the mother of his five children and his wife for 26 years.
According to the Independent, documents lodged in the probate office show that Ryan's last will and testament was made on November 13, 1992, and gives a current value for his estate of €1,333,921.
The 43-year-old Verwoerd, who recently told the Irish Independent that her life was “hell” without Gerry, was not invited to the church service, which marked the anniversary of his death last month.
Sending flowers instead, Verwoerd said in a statement: "My children and I have not received an invite to the Mass. I wish to commemorate Gerry in my own personal way and have made arrangements to do so privately."
A few days after the service, a wooden bench with a simple bronze plaque was placed under a cherry blossom tree in the middle of Herbert Park, where Verwoerd and Ryan had often sat together.
Verwoerd, who had been in a relationship with Ryan for two years at the time of his death, has said that she was completely unaware of his drug used and was visibly shocked when details of his cocaine use emerged at this inquest last year.
No further details of Ryan's estate are outlined in the public documents, although it is believed that the family home on Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3, makes up most of its value. The cream-fronted five-bedroom period house is believed to be worth just €850,000.
Ryan and his wife Morah confirmed in March 2008 that they had split "with regret" after 26 years of marriage. The couple had five children, Lottie (24), Rex (21), Bonnie (18), Elliot (13), and Babette (10).
Ryan was found dead at his apartment on Upper Leeson Street in Dublin on April 30, 2010. An inquest found that cocaine use was likely to have triggered the cardiac arrhythmia that caused his death.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.GeorgeDillon | Jun 20, 2011, 07:31 AM EDT
Thanks for that info SAIrish. A rarity on this site, an interestng and informed opinion.
SAirish | Jun 20, 2011, 06:34 AM EDT
Melanie Verwoerd became Executive Director of UNICEF in Ireland in 2007 and has two sons, the oldest being 18. She was the youngest memmber of the 1994 multi racial parliment. Her ex husband was Henrik Verwoerd's grandson It is intesting to note that a lot of white south african liberals who supported the ANC tend to leave South Arica at the first oportunity. She is well educated so she would be able to get permenent residence in Ireland.
sirpeter | Jun 19, 2011, 05:19 PM EDT
I miss Gerry.But in all fairness Verwoerd wasn't around long enough to get anything and doesn't deserve anything.
GeorgeDillon | Jun 19, 2011, 03:00 PM EDT
trealach continues to lie shamelessly. The ex-mistress most certainly does not work for South Africa, she now works for an Irish charity, UNICEF Ireland, of which she is Executive Director. Interested readers should check out that organization's web site. What a lying creep you are, trealach. But far more important than trealach's mendacity, I ask readers: Why did this woman get to stay indefinitely in Ireland and work in that country, even in spite of its huge unemployment rate? Are we to believe that the Irish are so incompetent that there was not one Irish person (not even one EU citizen!!!) who could do the job that this woman was given? It's madness, and I'm not surprised that a madman like trealach would defend it.
Ernesider | Jun 19, 2011, 01:30 PM EDT
Gerry's absence from the morning radio show is missed very much. He was a great man and it's too bad that Melanie couldn't attend the funeral mass. Just thinking how Gerry would have commented on that and no doubt his contrasting it with the progressiveness of our French brothers and sisters when dealing with similar situations. Bye Gerry.
Trealach | Jun 19, 2011, 12:26 PM EDT
Separation means just that - the marriage is still Valid and Legal. So Ms.Verwoerd was not entitled to anything. As for that MORON George Dillon's comment, had he kept up with the news he would have known that Ms. Verwoerd is still employed by the South African Embassy - but not as Ambassador - and therefore is entitled to remain in Ireland - you dumb ass!!
GeorgeDillon | Jun 19, 2011, 11:45 AM EDT
Looks like a warning to mistresses everywhere--you'll never supplant his wife, especially if he's had children with her. In the case of this particular mistress, I understand she is South African, and used to be that country's Ambassador to Ireland. Obviously a poor choice to be an Ambassador, she preferred to stay on in Ireland rather than go home! And how come she could stay on & work in Ireland--South Africa ain't in the EU, last time I checked. Oh, I forgot--Ireland has a Come On Over, Sure And Ye're All Welcome immigration policy. Not like South Africa, which has strict immigration controls and has been very harsh indeed to some migrants...