Fundraiser to support Cork family who 'lost everything' following devastating fire reaches almost €450k

Friends and supporters of a much-loved Cork family who lost everything in a fire weeks before their father tragically died have vowed to help rebuild their home from the ground up.

Tradesmen from the Killeagh community and beyond have been offering their services to the Walsh family following a blaze that ripped through their property and changed their lives forever.

Father-of-five Brendan died suddenly on May 1, just a week after the fire. 

He is survived by his wife Olivia and children Padraig, Sean, Chloe, Andrea, and Barry. 

The Cork man was a carpenter before retraining as a carer after the economic crash. 

He also worked as a frontline worker throughout the pandemic.

The house was empty when the fire broke out. Nobody was injured as a result of the blaze, but the house insurance policy had previously lapsed due to financial difficulties, leaving the family-of-seven homeless.

A GoFundMe page set up for the family has reached almost €450,000. 

Denis O’Sullivan, a close friend of the family, said there are construction workers on standby offering their services free of charge.

He described how the family’s story touched so many hearts.

“The family’s tragic story has endeared them to the country,” he said.

“They are still heartbroken, but this fundraiser has been a beacon of light for them all. 

“They wanted me to pass on their thanks to everyone because that’s the sort of people they are. 

“The family are the most genuine, salt-of-the-earth people you could ever meet.”

Denis said that people want to return the kindness they have shown everyone in the community.

“We want to rebuild their home and hand them back a place where they can grieve for Brendan,” he said. “They lost everything apart from the clothes they had on their backs.”

Brendan is remembered as an outstanding hurler with Killeagh, Imokilly, and Cork, and Denis acknowledged the support the GAA has shown.

“They say the GAA is the biggest network in the world,” he said. “The organisation has wrapped itself around this family. It has been a huge support.”

Denis remembers Brendan as an extremely kind and talented individual.

“Brendan was a fantastic singer,” he said. “If you closed your eyes you would have thought you were in the presence of Garth Brooks. 

“When he retrained to become a carer and worked at Glendonagh Nursing Home he would bring in his guitar and play songs for the residents.

“Everyone loved him.”

The GoFundMe page can be found here.