An Irish model has been found dead just hours after she posted a cryptic message on Facebook.

Mother-of-four Alli MacDonnell's death has devastated friends and family who have paid tribute to the stunning 36-year-old.

Hours before she died she wrote on Facebook: 'Why is it ok for a man to call a girl a fat ugly c***?????? Seriously new level of pushing someone to the edge.'

Alli, who studied at Trinity College Dublin had recently celebrated her younger sister's 21st birthday and called her four children her 'world' on social media.

The model who was signed with the Andrea Roche's AR Model Agency also campaigned for autism awareness.

Friends took to the internet this afternoon to express their shock, while calling the mother of children aged between two-years-old and fifteen, 'beautiful inside and out'.

It is not clear whether the post was linked to her death.

Stephanie Whelan wrote: 'Absolutely devastating. What a beauty inside and out. No matter how beautiful we knew you were it's how you feel inside that matters.'

The mother-of-four was a campaigner who fought to help children with autism

It is not clear whether or not the message was linked to her death. Alli MacDonnell died hours after posting this on social media

Alli called her children her 'world' on social media. She was found dead hours after a message was posted on Facebook

The stunning model wrote on Facebook about a man insulting a woman but did not say whether she was talking about an experience of her own

'You were a very proud mammy and you children will grow up knowing how strong their mammy was and make you so proud. RIP beautiful. Shine bright like the diamond you were.'

Friends said the mother was 'beautiful inside and out'

Tori Dempsey-Walsh added: 'You were not only beautiful on the outside but inside too. Such a loss to everyone who ever had the pleasure to know you.'

The model became an ambassador for Autism Action after two of her children were diagnosed with the disorder.

Autism Ireland CEO Samantha Judge said she was an 'amazing mother' and a tireless campaigner for autism.

She said: 'Here at Autism Ireland, we are very shocked and saddened at the loss of Alli. Alli was an amazing mother, a beautiful woman, inside and out.

'She was a very strong voice for autism as a mother, and she was so supportive of her children and of the charity.

'She will be a great loss to us. Alli worked tirelessly to raise awareness of autism. She was a great friend and an amazing ambassador for Autism Ireland.

'We could call her and ask for her help at any time and she worked with us whenever we needed her.

'She was truly an inspirational person and we are all grieving a huge loss today.'