Darren Connell pictured in action for Oldcastle GFC.
By John Harrington
Just over one year on, and the community of Oldcastle in Meath are still struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss of Darren Connell who died suddenly at the age of 17 last year.
A talented footballer and a young man of great character, he was immensely popular with everyone in Oldcastle and his schoolfriends from neighbouring parishes.
The high esteem he was held in is vividly illustrated by the fact that seven of those friends will this Saturday embark on a sporting journey that will raise a significant sum of money for Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health.
Harry Ryan, Craig Mullen, James McCluskey, Pearse Sheridan, Ned Brunton, Ronan Peyton and Sean Guirke will kick points in a number of GAA pitches where Darren would have starred along a 111km kilometre cycling route
First on the journey will be Gilson Park, then they’ll cycle to Millbrook, Dunganny, and Pairc Tailteann to kick more points before cycling back home to Millbrook, Darren’s spiritual home and where he was happiest.
Their fundraiser has already generated huge momentum because of just how popular a person Darren Connell was and how his death touched so many people.
“God love him, he was only 17 and he was truly inspirational,” says Oldcastle GFC PRO Ealma Purcell.
“He was just so driven. He came up through all our underage teams and played for the county minor football team.
“It was such a shock for everyone in the club when he passed away, but especially all of his friends. This fundraiser is a way of remembering Darren while also helping them get on with their lives and to do such a good thing for Jigsaw is amazing.
“They're a great bunch of lads who all would have played football with Darren. Oldcastle is situated on the border of Cavan and Meath so some of the lads are from Mountnugent in Cavan but they all go to the same secondary school here.
“There are friends from Ballinlough and Moylagh GAA clubs taking part as well as lads who were team-mates with Darren's in Oldcastle.
“They're just all great buddies in school and they came up with this idea themselves. We're giving them a hand, but they're putting in so much work themselves. They have Bernard Brogan sending messages of suport and David Clifford and Mattie Forde. They've reached out and gotten the whole GAA family involved.”
Darren Connell in action for the Meath minor footballers.
The ‘Day for Darren’ fundraiser has already raised over €11,000 for Jigsaw and the response of the public has been hugely heartening for Darren’s friends and family.
“It's flying,” says Purcell. “The night we put up the GoFundMe we were saying, ‘will we aim for a thousand?’ Then Harry Ryan's mum said we'd leave it at €750 because we didn't want to intimidate people.
“But every day now the money is coming in and I think the lads are checking it on their phones and are just blown away by the generosity of people.
“I hope the positive response is helping his family. They're so involved, they're huge club people.
“Darren has three other brothers and a sister playing for the club and the family are at every match. They're great club people and I think they're just delighted to see what's happening.
“Darren meant so much to so many people and what his friends are doing now in his memory just shows that. They've been through a lot. Some of them have done the leaving and they're going to college or they've been doing exams but they still think of him all the time.”
* You can donate to the 'A Day for Darren' fundraiser for Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, HERE.
*The GAA, LGFA, and the Camogie Association, in partnership with Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health offer a mental health course called One Good Coach™. Information on this course can be accessed HERE.
