'It all happened so quickly': Cork dad trying to rebuild life after house fire

AN inspiring father is capturing hearts locally as he attempts to rebuild his life just days after a devastating house fire.

John Murray was watching Harry Potter with his eight-year-old daughter Sophierae last Sunday when the blaze ripped through his home and destroyed everything they owned.

The Shanagarry local said he had been “able to hold it together” until his daughter expressed heartbreak about losing all her toys in the blaze.

John had been saving for seven years in a bid to purchase their dream home. To this day, he believes that his late grandmother was smiling down on him when he received the keys to the property on the day of her anniversary in December 2019.

Both John and Sophierae had considered the investment a festive miracle and moved into the property the day before Christmas Eve.

Almost four years later and friends and members of the community have launched a Go Fund Me campaign to help them get back on their feet after the house was completely destroyed.

John, who has joint custody of his daughter, explained that he is currently looking for a temporary place to live.

However, the accommodation crisis and lack of rentals means he will have to stay with family for the foreseeable future.

Despite being shaken by the event, John said he is extremely humbled and overwhelmed at the generosity from the East Cork community.

“As it happened, there were people coming over to me bringing me coffees and throw- ing jackets over me,” he said of that horrific night.

“They were keeping my daughter away so she didn’t have to see what was going on.”

The support from neighbours has been overwhelming.

“The neighbours have been really supportive and I’ve had a few offers of places to stay. People have even offered to look after my dog Caspian.”

He also praised the courageous efforts of local emergency services.

“By the time they got to us the house was destroyed so their priority was making sure the fire didn’t spread to other homes.

“I am really grateful to all the firefighters involved and to everyone in the community.”

He spoke of the difficult days that followed the blaze.

“I had to go to Tesco to find clothes because they had all been lost in the fire. I met a woman I knew in there.

“She said it was strange to see me without Sophierae. We have always been inseparable so she immediately realised there was something wrong.”

John said he still has no idea how the fire started.

“We went to McDonalds for a treat and came home and lit the fire. The room filled up with smoke that continued even when I put the fire out. When I looked up the flue I could see that a fire had already broken out.”

Luckily, John was able to protect his daughter Sophierae and their German shepherd Caspian from harm.

“One minute I was watching Harry Potter, the next I was watching my house burn down. It all happened so quickly.”

He said that the loss of their belongings was difficult.

“There was a story behind everything in the house, even if it was just a small teddy. Sophierae had her own bedroom and all her belongings. I couldn’t hold it together when she told me that all her toys were gone.”

John said that while the experience has been devastating, he doesn’t want it to affect Sophierae who is preparing for her holy communion and thriving on the Magpies under-nines camogie team.

Members of the community and John’s friend Emmet, who started the Go Fund Me campaign, hope that enough donations can be raised to replace their belongings and get them back on their feet.

“I didn’t know the Go Fund Me had been set up for me and I felt strange about it at first as I am such a private person.

“I’m usually the one helping others because I don’t like seeing anyone else sad or suffering. The kindness I am getting from people has been really overwhelming.”

To donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-devastating-fire-cost-john-his-home-last-night