GAA community raises €500,000 for Cork family hit by double tragedy

WHEN father-of-five Brendan Walsh died following a fire at his home near the GAA pitch in Killeagh last year, his family and the local community were devastated.

He died suddenly on May 1, a week after the fire, and was survived by his wife Olivia and children Padraig, Sean, Chloe, Andrea, and Barry.

The tragedy, in which the family lost their home, prompted a remarkable response and a Cork GAA fund-raiser for the bereaved Walshes became the GoFundMe top earner for 2023, with 5,000 donations raising almost half a million euro.

It was a sign of how beloved the family are, and the strength of the local and GAA community.

“The Walsh family are very well known and very well liked in the community,” said Denis O’Sullivan, a close friend of the family, chairperson of the fundraiser, and who is vice-chairman of Killeagh GAA.

This family is much loved in Killeagh and surrounding parishes. They are open, kind, good-natured, ‘salt-of-the earth’ people.

“Almost €195,000 was raised in less than a day to support the family.”

Brendan was a local man and a community man.

“He was a talented hurler, and was involved in Killeagh GAA for many years, playing with Killeagh at all levels, county, minor and senior and divisional for Imokilly,” said Denis.

He and all the locals were stunned at the tragic events that unfolded on the morning of April 22 last year, when the Walsh home was destroyed after a fire spread from the adjoining garage. There was no-one home and when the alarm was raised almost nothing could be salvaged.

The family watched in horror as their house and all their belongings went up in flames. The family, whose world came crashing down, were now homeless.

“I was in Longford at St Mel’s Cathedral,” recalls Denis, speaking about that fateful day. “The cathedral had been burned down and I wanted to see the restoration work.

“I got a message that the Walsh home was destroyed and that thankfully, no-one was hurt.

But further tragedy unfolded when Brendan died just over a week after the house fire.

Brendan left behind a heartbroken wife and five children. He had been a carpenter, but the economic crash left him without work. He re-trained as a carer, and was a frontline worker throughout the Covid pandemic.

Denis added: “Brendan was a great singer too.”

On the GAA side, Brendan, he said, was “a stylish, brave and talented hurler who was a joy to behold on the field, and he went on to win a county Junior title with Killeagh in 1995 and an Intermediate title in 2001, thus bringing Killeagh to senior for the very first time. A proud day indeed for Brendan, his family and the club.”

After his death and the devastating fire, the GAA community stepped up.

“The hope was that we could all work together and, piece by piece, raise enough money to give this family back their home,” said Denis.

“We formed a sub-committee and decided to start a GoFundMe fund- raiser to give the family an opportunity of a fresh start.”

It was launched on May 26 at 4.15pm. The response was immense.

“By 10pm, €100,000 had been donated,” said Denis. “At 3pm the following afternoon, the fund had exceeded €200,000.

Our target was to raise €500,000. It showed social media at its best as word spread.

“Initially, we had alerted Cork GAA Clubs and the Killeagh community and we asked that they share it.”

Word spread quickly.

“The response from local communities, and from communities across Ireland, and from the GAA family all around the world, was phenomenal,” said Denis.

The GAA family stepped up and showed up for one of their own.

“In Ireland, from Malin to Mizen and as far as Donegal, GAA clubs gave funds,” said Denis. “The family’s tragic story touched so many hearts and endeared them to the country."

Was he surprised at the remarkable response from far and wide?

“From a personal level, it did not surprise me,” said Denis.

“I was one of the parking stewards at Brendan’s funeral. The cortège should have left at 3.50pm. it left at 10.40pm. It was such a big funeral and the amount of people that said to me to ‘count me in when the fund-raiser starts’ was amazing.

People responded in spades. The family were overwhelmed at everyone’s generosity. And they sincerely want me to pass on their thanks to everyone for their support. That’s the kind of family they are.

Denis, who knows the power of the people, knows what can be achieved when they come together.

“When communities band together, the outcome can only be hugely positive,” he said.

Great things can happen.

“We want to rebuild their home and hand them back a place where they can grieve for Brendan,” added Denis.

“The Walshes lost everything apart from the clothes they had on their backs.”

All hands came on board to re-establish the Walsh family home.

“Tradesmen from the Killeagh community and beyond have been offering their services to the Walsh family, suppliers are supplying blocks, flooring, light fittings and heating.

“They all want to lend a hand to restore the family home.”

Denis agrees that the GoFundMe campaign for the Walsh family in the wake of their devastation and grief has shown a commendable display of community spirit.

“We had to build the family home from the ground up. All donations and kind gestures were gratefully accepted,” said Denis.

The power of the people is alive and well. “It most certainly is.”