On Monday we reported that Jonathan Rhys Meyers was arrested after drunkenly yelling at an airline employee at Dublin Airport. Meyers has a long history of alcohol abuse and has been in rehab twice in the last few years. However it seems Meyers may have been drinking for a reason and perhaps we should cut him a little slack – his mother passed away yesterday morning. The cause of death of Geraldine Meyers O’Keeffe, 50, hasn’t been disclosed; only that she died after a “short illness.”

Jonathan Rhys Meyers was photographed drinking a can of hard cider at 10 in the morning yesterday – just a few hours after his mother died.

Pictures of the 30-year-old drinking in North London were taken hours after the death of his mother at a hospital in Cork. Geri Meyers O’Keeffe, 50, who was known to have been in poor health, died at 7am at the Mercy Hospital soon after being admitted. She leaves three other sons, Jamie, Alan and Paul. The cause of death was not known last night.

Last night, members of his family at Mrs Meyers O’Keeffe’s neat bungalow in the Cork suburb of Glanmire were too distressed to talk. She had celebrated her 50th birthday last January when friends in her local pub The Riverstown Inn threw a surprise party for her. Last night regulars in the bar were stunned by the suddenness of her death. One said: “I saw her last week and she was in great form. “I know she was ill in February but she pulled through that. We just cannot believe she is gone. She was a lovely woman.

“She was extremely proud of Jonathan. She used to tell us she knew from the time he was born that he was destined for great things.” Last night Meridith O’Sullivan, Jonathan’s LA based publicist confirmed that his mother had died. She stated “I can confirm she passed away, but there are no more details tonight.”

[From the Daily Mail]

Geri Meyers-O’Keeffe was a former charity worker. She’s expected to be buried near her home in Cork on Friday. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is on “The View” right now as I’m writing this. TV Guide has it listed as new, but it must be pre-taped. Our thoughts are with him and his family.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Jonathan and Reena Hammer at MTV’s TRL on November 12, 2007. Image thanks to PR Photos. Header image of Jonathan drinking in London yesterday. Image thanks to the Daily Mail.