Irish author Ruth Fitzmaurice proved to be an inspiration for viewers of last night's Late Late Show.

Fitzmaurice, from Greystones, appeared on the RTE show to talk about her debut, I Found My Tribe, which she wrote about life after her husband Simon's diagnosis with motor neurone disease.

Speaking about how the grief of the diagnosis affected her life she said she was a "mad angry woman" for about a year.

"I just saw red" - the brilliant Ruth Fitzmaurice on the time she wouldn't take any crap from a rude driver #latelate pic.twitter.com/xnXKXCr9ud — RTÃ One (@RTEOne) September 15, 2017

"At a certain stage, the stages of grief, there's a certain really angry phase you go through, through the diagnosis. There was a year there were I was a bit of a mad angry woman," she told host Ryan Tubridy before relating an anecdote about how this anger one day manifested itself.

"There was one particular incident with a guy in a car," she said. "We were driving our big, silly Postman Pat wheelchair car really slowly because Simon obviously gets bumped around in the back. A guy overtook us on a junction and beeped around a corner and I just saw red.

"I said, 'Hang on kids', drove up behind him - he had stopped at a red light - I turned off the car and said, 'Back in a minute guys, and they go, 'What are you doing?', and I just got out of the car and got up to the window and said, 'I'm driving slowly because my husband is in a wheelchair.'

"He pulled up the window. I just saw red and said, 'You're a very rude man' and decided I'd kick the s**t out of his vcar. It seemed like a really good idea. The lights changed and he sped off and, perfectly, there was some guy on the footpath going [punches the air] 'Yeah!'"

There was huge reaction to Ruth's interview with viewers on social media who found her "a breath of fresh air" and an "inspiration".

The best #latelate I've watched in ages. Interesting guests who were full of personality .. open, strong & funny @Martina RuthFitzmaurice — suz b (@Suzanne_Brett) September 15, 2017

Never mind any of these superstars or celebrities; Ruth Fitzmaurice is the role model I'll be telling my three daughters about. #latelate — Paul71 (@Paul71) September 15, 2017

Ruth Fitzmaurice is my hero . Fearless and feckin cool ! — Karina Mc Donagh (@DonaghKarina) September 15, 2017

Ruth Fitzmaurice is one of the best guests you've had on. She's a breath of fresh air and so positive. Wonderful interview! #latelate — Paul71 (@Paul71) September 15, 2017

Online Editors