Great community support for fundraiser

Kilbarron Tractor Run raises over €18,000

There was a poignant air to last November’s Tractor Run in Kilbarron. Within the community there, fondness for the late Kevin Cahalan - who died prematurely in Australia back in December 2017 - still runs deep. The locality was plunged into shock by his sudden passing some eight years ago. Kevin’s mother, Eileen, says the family was rendered “numb” by the news when it arrived that fateful December day. The grief was unimaginable, but to add to their sorrow, Kevin’s loved ones had an immediate dilemma. His remains were all the way over on the other side of the world, in Perth, western Australia. Financially and logistically, it was going to require huge effort to get him back to Ireland.

That was where the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT) stepped in. The KBRT is an indispensable charity dedicated to “alleviating the financial hardship of families repatriating the bodies of loved ones who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances.” The volunteer organisation was founded in memory of Kevin Bell, a young man who died suddenly in New York in 2013. His death was met with an outpouring of support from friends, family and colleagues, and it was decided that a trust would be established as a legacy to him. Kevin’s father Colm now leads the organisation, which provides financial support, as well as advice and guidance on how to get the body of a loved one back to Ireland from foreign shores.

Eileen had never heard of Colm or the Trust prior to her own son’s death in 2017, but all it took was a quick phone call to him, and a process was immediately set in motion.

“All he asked me for was Kevin’s name, where he died, and who the undertakers were. That was it. And so I said ‘how do I reimburse you?’. And he replied ‘forget about it’. That saved us so much stress.”

Community endeavour

€18,300 was raised as a result of the Tractor Run on November 23rd, every penny of which was donated to the KBRT at an event in Hannigan’s Bar in mid-December. The whole thing was a massive community endeavour, with various individuals and organisations contributing to the fundraising effort. Shannon Rovers GAA club played an instrumental role. So too did Rory Dunne, James Burke, and Denis Cahalan, who were central to the organisation of the event. It was an emotional experience for Eileen and her family. She says the pain of Kevin’s loss “never goes away,” and on that day, in particular, it was more profound.

Tractor Runs have become increasingly common in Ireland in recent years. The sight of a giant column of heavy machinery trundling down a rural country road in mid-winter is always an arresting spectacle. Beneath it all, however, these events are expressions of solidarity on behalf of a community with a particular group or cause. They also offer a tribute to those who are no longer with us, in this case Kevin Cahalan.

Eileen is infinitely thankful to all who contributed to November’s event. She says that “everybody in the area knew Kevin, and knew the story of his death.” Because of that, they wanted to remember him, while also raising money for an organisation that does vital, complex work to aid families in the most tragic of circumstances. The KBRT is entirely funded through donations, and hence, the €18,300 raised will make a real difference.

The KBRT isn’t the only organisation to have assisted Eileen and her family. Tipperary Living Links - which was established in Cloughjordan in 2002 and offers practical help, information and support to those bereaved by suicide - has been a vital outlet to them.

Losing a loved one is always hard. Losing a loved one in a foreign country in such tragic circumstances is even more unbearable. And that is why the work of both the KBRT and Living Links is so important.