The living memory of a young Oranmore woman who died after contracting meningitis seven years ago will be enhanced this weekend when the fourth of five wishes pledged in her honour will be furthered by a fundraising walk at Rinville Park.
Spiorad Shaidhbh’ was set up by the parents, family, and friends of Sadhbh Ní Bhrádaigh, an 18-year-old student from Oranmore who died from pneumococcal meninigitis on Christmas Day Night, 2009. ‘Spiorad Shaidhbh’ is, as its name suggests, a charitable organisation that aims to embody the spirit of the person it is named after.
Now they are holding a Midsummer Walk in the Park (Rinville Park ), Oranmore on Sunday next July 3, at 12pm to raise funds for Sadhbh’s Wish No. 4 which is supporting Jigsaw Galway and the roll out of their new outreach programme, which aims to support young people throughout County Galway where access to their drop-in centre in Galway City might pose a difficulty.
Jigsaw Galway is a free, confidential and non-judgmental service which supports the mental health and well-being of young people (aged 15-25 ). Jigsaw also provides advice and guidance to parents, family member, friends or other professionals worried about a young person in their life.
In supporting Jigsaw, Spiorad Shaidhbh hopes to help this very worthy organisation to reach out to those who most need their support in the more rural and often more inaccessible areas within County Galway. Sadhbh’s Walk will begin with registration at the lower car park at 11.45am and conclude with the releasing of 18 balloons -a balloon for every year of her short but vibrant life.
Friends of ‘Spiorad Shaidhbh’, Mick Silke of Yummy Crepes, Galway Market, Kate Molloy of Kate’s Make-up/Face-painting, Deirdre Carmody of Deesigner Balloons, artists Hannah Murray and Róisín Curé have all kindly offered their services providing both children and adults who attend the walk with lots of fun activities and scrumptious refreshments.
So, who and what is ‘Spiorad Shaidhbh?
Sadhbh was a young woman full of energy and fun with a great sense of wit and humour. She wore her heart on her sleeve and was quick to come to the defence of those less fortunate than herself. It is with these qualities in mind that ‘Spiorad Shaidhbh’ was founded as a means of honouring her memory, through fundraising and organising a series of small acts of kindness that will hopefully improve the lives of others in the local community in which we live.
They call these small acts of kindness ‘Sadhbh’s Wish List’ and hope to fulfill a wish a year over a period of five years.
Past wishes on Sadhbh’s Wish List have included:
Wish No. 1
Refurbishment of the family rooms used by those who have loved ones in the ICU unit in Galway University Hospital. This was successfully completed with the help and support of many kind and generous people and we have received many letters and calls over the past months from family and friends of those who spent some time in the ICU Unit in UHG expressing how grateful they were for the peace and comfort these rooms gave them in their time of need.
Wish No 2.
Supporting ACT for Meningitis founded by Siobhan and Noel Carroll after their little four-year-old daughter Aoibhe died from the disease in 2008.
Again the emphasis of ‘Spiorad Shaidhbh’ was on the comfort and care of those left behind after the loss of a loved one. In this particular case it involved furnishing a room where parents could meet in peaceful comfortable surroundings with staff members of ACT for Meningitis or different experts as the need arose.
Wish No 3.
To raise funds to provide music therapy for young adults with an intellectual disability who attend the Aisling Centre Day services, Brothers of Charity, Renmore, Galway. This project proved very successful and was very much in tune with the very heart of what Sadhbh’s Wish List is all about- reaching out to the marginalised in our local community and making a real difference to their lives in a very practical fashion through listening, liaising and supporting them and those who work closely with them.
Wish No 4.
The latest venture is to raise funds to support Jigsaw, Galway, in their efforts to set up a new outreach programme for young people throughout rural County Galway where access to their drop-in centre might pose a difficulty. This latest wish is in keeping with the spirit of the previous three wishes.
“It is about caring and reaching out to those in our community who are often ignored or marginalised. It is about inclusivity rather than exclusivity. It is about bringing hope and joy to those that sometimes cannot do it for themselves and in turn nurturing that feeling among ourselves and others that can only be got from practicing such random acts of kindness,” said a spokesperson for Spiorad Shaidhbh.
The remaining wishes on Sadhbh’s List will pertain to the community in Oranmore, in which she lived for the last years of her life. In future years we hope to initiate or support specific projects that will focus on the particular needs of both senior citizens and youth within our local community.
Further information can be obtained at www.facebook.com spiorad shaidhbh page.
Donations can be made to AIB account number 19439086 Branch Code 937223 or online at idonate.ie or on the day in Rinville Park. Further information: Máire Ní Bhriain, (Sadhbh’s mother )- 087/9502741 or Macha Ní Bhrádaigh, (Sadhbh’s sister )- 085/1056887
