Killeagh GAA Walsh Family Fundraiser

A tragic sequence of events happened in Killeagh, east Cork in late April.

The Walsh’s are a large family living near the GAA pitch in Killeagh. The Walsh’s are a family of five children.

Bank Account: Permanent TSB Midleton

Account Title: Killeagh GAA Walsh Family Fundraiser

IBAN: IE54IPBS 990705 33930770 BIC: IPBSIE2D

Sort Code: 990705 Account Number: 33930770

On the morning of April 22nd, a fire broke out in the garage, adjoining the house and spread quickly to the house itself. There was nobody in the house at the time and when the alarm was raised it was too late to save it. The family watched in horror as their house and all their belongings went up in flames. Practically nothing was saved.

However, this was only the start of the tragedy.

The realisation quickly dawned that there was no house Insurance as the policy had lapsed due to the family hitting hard times financially. The family was now homeless.

Brendan was a carpenter, but the economic crash left Brendan without work. He re-trained as a carer and was a frontline worker throughout the Covid pandemic.

The trauma of the family home being destroyed and of essentially being homeless badly affected Brendan’s mental health. Brendan died tragically on the first day of summer, May 1st, just over a week after the house fire.

It was only then that the true horror of these events finally hit home.

Brendan leaves behind a heartbroken wife and five children who are destitute and homeless.

Brendan’s hurling career

Brendan was an outstanding hurler with Killeagh, with Imokilly, with Cork at all levels and even with Ireland!

He first came to prominence winning several underage county hurling titles with Killeagh and colleges titles with Midleton CBS. This brought him to the attention of the Cork Minor selectors and in 1990, playing at full forward, he won a Munster minor medal.

Later, in the All Ireland final, Cork trailed Kilkenny by nine points. Brendan’s switch to midfield was credited with causing a Cork comeback. His high fielding and beautiful striking brought Cork to an unlikely draw.

Brendan’s career trajectory was on the up and he played Under 21 for the county before being selected on the Cork senior panel a short time later. He was on the bench for the Cork seniors in the 1992 All Ireland Senior Hurling final versus Kilkenny. He was just 19 and the second youngest member of the panel behind Brian Corcoran.

The sky seemed to be the limit for Brendan. However, a serious knee injury curtailed his career somewhat, but he continued to play Under 21 and Junior for the county and was even selected for the Irish Under 21 Hurling team in an International with Scotland in 1993.

Brendan, a stylish, brave and talented hurler was a joy to behold in full flight on the field and 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.

Brendan was also a talented actor and excellent singer who gigged at various venues around Cork, sometimes with his son Podsie.

All of Brendan’s 5 children participated in Gaelic Games just like their dad. Chloe and Andrea played football and camogie.

Podsie won counties with Killeagh. Seán is a Killeagh senior hurler presently and Brendan’s youngest child, 16 year old Barry, has starred with the Cork minors this year. Barry was Cork’s top player in recent championship games with Clare and Galway. Brendan’s nephew and godchild Ben captained that same team. Brendan personally coached Barry and Ben for the last ten years imbuing them with confidence and a genuine love of the game.

It was some testament to Barry’s inner strength to go out and play his heart out for Cork in those games in Thurles just a few weeks after his dad’s tragic passing.

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

Their world has come crashing down around them in the cruellest way imaginable. They are living through a nightmare. Their trauma is made worse by the fact that they have no home in which to grieve for Brendan or to start to piece their lives back together again.

The hope now is that we can all work together and, piece by piece, raise enough money to give this family back their home.

Please give as generously as you can.