Former Mrs Brown's Boys star Rory Cowan spends €1,000-a-week caring for sick mum

It's thanks to the 'generous' Brendan O'Carroll

Former Mrs Brown's Boys star Rory Cowan, has revealed that he spends €1,000-a-week caring for his sick mother.

The Dubliner recently departed the hit sitcom, but remains thankful to the 'generous' Brendan O'Carroll, who reportedly pays his cast very handsomely.

Cowan no longer needs to work and is able to afford to pay medical costs to look after his sick mother, Esther.

84-year-old Esther suffers from dementia and currently lives at home with her son.

The ex-Mrs Brown's Boys stalwart remains determined to ensure that his mother does not end up in a care home, and wants to remain by her side through her illness.

He revealed that due to his past role in Brendan O'Carroll's immensely popular show, he no longer needs to work, and can afford to pay for his mothers costs while she remains at home.

Speaking to the Irish Sun, Rory (58), said: “It’s great mum is still in her own house but she needs three carers every day.

“The first comes in at 8am in the morning and the last one leaves at 9pm that night after she goes asleep.”

“Brendan O’Carroll was a very, very generous employer. So much so that I will not have to work again.

“It’s wonderful I can afford to have my mum at home because it gives me peace of mind.

“I’d be terrified if she was in a nursing home because you hear all these stories of people being slapped and abused.

“I could find the best nursing home in the world, where it would never happen but I would still wake up, worrying about her and end up driving out there in the middle of the night to check she was okay.”

Rory spoke of his mothers very swift decline as she began to show signs of dementia after the death of her husband in 2009.

He said: “Looking back, there were little ­stages. Mum took a fall and couldn’t remember anything about it.

“She went to the doctor and they fixed her up but it could have been a mini stroke because we never did any tests.”

Within a year or so there were obvious signs of dementia.

Rory continued: “Mum started asking the same question over and over and over again.

“Things are going down rapidly. With other illnesses, there’s a process once you are diagnosed.

“But with dementia, it just happens and you don’t know what happens. Every sufferer goes through it in a different way.”

Despite the seriousness of his mothers condition, Rory can still find a silver lining.

He recalled: “I walked into the house one day and mum was really angry and started shouting at me. I was so taken aback, I walked into the kitchen to get a glass.

“By the time I walked back into the room, mum was smiling at me.

“Change can be that quick.”