‘They’ve been so good to me’

There was a bittersweet sense of achievement in Kilcommon last weekend as the massive proceeds of a fundraiser driven by a very popular local man were presented to Milford Care Centre.

Together with his family and friends, John Murphy raised a whopping €77,689, one of the most significant single contributions to Milford in years. It will remain a laudable legacy left by John, who sadly passed away last April at the age of just 44. He was diagnosed only the previous November with pancreatic cancer. But in true testament to John’s character, he quickly rallied in search of light in a dark time.

“In December he started talking about retro jerseys and giving back,” his sister Annmarie said. She spoke of how her brother linked in with Milford straight away and benefitted greatly from the centre’s home help service. He was visited regularly by nurse, also named Annmarie, with whom he had a good relationship.

“It’s not just end of life; they can help with so much more,” John’s sister explained. “He wanted everyone to know that Milford wasn’t just end of life.”

JERSEY AUCTION

John set about organising an auction of signed hurling jerseys as a means of raising funds for Milford. Through friends and contacts, he got former player and manager Joe Hayes to provide a Tipp jersey signed by the All-Ireland-winning team of 1991. Willie Moore of Limerick complemented a Limerick jersey signed by all the remaining players involved in the Treaty’s 1973 title.

These rare collector items were to become the focal point of an auction, which John planned for the Cross Bar in his native Kilcommon on Easter Sunday. He also organised a charity hurling match between his local Seán Treacy GAA and Doon, the club his two sons hurl for.

‘SNOWBALLED’

But what started out as a straightforward quest to raise a few thousand euro for Milford quickly escalated into something much bigger. Annemarie described how John’s auction idea “snowballed” and how, despite his rapidly deteriorating health, he was buoyed by the response of people throughout the community.

“Next thing he got a call from a lad asking ‘would you be interested in half a pig?’”, Annmarie said. “And the next thing the prizes started rolling in.

“He got everything from a rally bike to half a pig to half a venison to bales of silage to stones to everything… and all the time John was getting worse and worse. But he kept saying: ‘I’m going to do this. I’m going to do this for Milford because they’ve been so good to me.”

Almost €27,000 was raised on the day of the auction. A jovial occasion at the Cross Bar was presided over by Michael Harty of Central Auctions. The jerseys even attracted phone bids from America. The Tipp jersey fetched €6,300.

A raffle was held as well – it raised €6,000. Annmarie recalled a “phenomenal amount” of prizes contributed by people near and far. No prize was worth less than €80.

More money was raised by people making cash donations on the night – many of them very generous. Donations continued to flow in the aftermath of the event, as word about John’s situation spread.

Two days later, April 7, he had to go into Milford Care Centre. But on the way he brought a sum of over €47,000 to the bank himself.

Just over a week later, on April 16, John died in the care of Milford. But Annmarie said he passed in the knowledge that he had raised close to €70,000 for the centre.

‘TESTIMONIAL’

“I suppose he wanted this to be a testimonial rather than a memorial,” she said of her younger brother, making the point that fundraisers like these generally happen after someone has died, not instigated by them while still alive.

More donations were left through a rip.ie weblink and a donation box at John’s funeral, bringing the grand total up to the amount presented last weekend.

Described by his sister as “content” during his final days in Milford, John was proud of what he achieved and considered it something of a parting gift to those he was leaving behind. A separated father, who worked long hours travelling around the country with lift/escalator company Kone and helping his father Pat on the family farm, John always found time for his sons Darragh (18) and Cian (15), and daughter Grace (12).

“He was the best father,” Annmarie said. “His children were everything to him, absolutely everything.”

Having hurled for Tipp at underage level himself, John encouraged his sons in sport and, despite the long miles he clocked up, would drive them to matches and training over long distances. They also played rugby with Nenagh Ormond and the club provided a guard of honour at the funeral.

Grace was not as interested in sport, so John bought her a horse. Annmarie spoke of how happy he was to make his daughter’s Confirmation last March.

“He was an exceptional friend,” she added. “We noted that in everyone who came out to support him. He had great, great, great friends.”

On behalf of all John’s family, she took the opportunity to thank everyone who supported his final act for a very good cause, one that he will always be remembered for.