‘He’ll walk it with me’

A GoFundMe launched by the brother of a young GAA star who suddenly passed away last January has raised close to €25,000 for SOSAD Cavan, 50 times more than the initial €500 target set out.

In the opening 24 hours alone Brendan Vesey’s appeal had already amassed several thousand euros, with donations arriving not just from across Ireland but internationally. That figure has continued to rise steadily ever since.

Brendan, who organised the fundraiser in memory of younger brother Liam, will take on a week’s worth of Spain’s Camino trail along with his friend Liam Coll from Roscommon later this month.

The lads will walk at least 25 kilometres a day along the hallowed trekking route for the local charity which is now close to Brendan’s heart.

Brendan’s brother Liam passed away January 8. He was just 18 at the time and one of a large family of one sister and seven brothers.

His death prompted not just an outpouring of grief, but an immediate reaction from within the community to offer support others living locally.

Both Brendan and Liam were dedicated member of Belturbet’s Rory O'Moore's GAA club, and Brendan is considering bringing his brother’s jersey as a keep safe for the journey, which begins April 19 from Astorga, an important pilgrimage crossroad and city since Roman times.

“He’ll walk it with me,” says Brendan of his brother Liam, who he describes as being a “decent young lad” who “loved football, loved his friends and work. He always was a cheeky chap, always had a smile on his face.”

Brendan says the memories of his brother, especially the “good times” like when they helped Belturbet win the ACFL Reserve Division 2 title last year, will “help get us through”.

“We’ll be meeting my good mate Liam’s dad out there [in Astorga] and start from there. He invited us to go over for the week, just to get away from everything, and it all came together. We thought it’d be a good way to help raise money for SOSAD and some awareness as well.

“We'll be going through about nine different areas, and hopefully finish the 26th. It'll be tough going, but it’ll worth every kilometre.”

Brendan is counting on the money he has now helped raise to support other families bereaved by loss to suicide.

Liam’s passing impacted more than just the Vesey family, Brendan acknowledges. He never expected such a response to his fundraising appeal, but in hindsight considers it no surprise given how well liked Liam was, and how close-knit the wider GAA community is when it comes to showing support for families at such times.

Belturbet GAA recently paid tribute to the late Liam on the date of the young man’s 19th birthday, tweeting: 'We remember our teammate Liam Vesey who would have celebrated his 19th birthday today. He will remain forever in our thoughts and memories in a poignant day in what was the first match the Rories played without him.'

A minute's silence was held out of respect at the opening league game. His clubmates also wore black armbands.

“We’re so thankful for the incredible response. Shocked as well just to see how quickly the number kept going up and up,” Brendan tells the Celt. “But the sense of community after Liam passed was something else, everyone coming together, support for us as family, for his friends, it’s been absolutely fantastic. If we can get to the €25,000 mark it’ll be unbelievable.”

He concludes by saying that aside from the money the key message is to inform and remind people that supports are available.

“If this whole thing helps prevent one more young life being lost to suicide it’ll have been worth it,” says Brendan. “It’s about making people aware, and getting them to think twice, if it can do that then that’s it’s job done.”