Kirwan family give back to ‘amazing’ SSR team
THERE can be few families who understand the work Slaney Search and Rescue (SSR) do in the way that the Kirwans do.
In March of this year, their beloved Bernard was found after a search lasting almost three weeks. And although their experience with SSR had a tragic ending, the Kirwans were keen to show their appreciation for the men and women who risked life and limb in the search for the man fondly known as ‘Bunny’.
A GoFundMe page was created in May, its intention to raise money for an organisation comprising entirely of volunteers and one which relies on donations to continue its work.
‘ These people work voluntarily. These people were so amazing during the search for our dear Bunny,’ read the page’s description. ‘ They gave up 20 days of their lives away from their families to be on the River Slaney searching and diving in what were adverse weather conditions.’
And with Covid-19 putting paid to many of SSR’s annual charity events, it was hoped this fundraiser would go some way to ensuring other families receive the same level of support in the future.
Ultimately, a total of €3,055 was raised, and Breda Kirwan Kennedy said it was their way of giving something back after all that SSR had done for them.
‘It was our way of giving something back, the work they do is amazing. We wanted to help them out as much as we could. We need the service they provide.
‘My brother was missing for 20 days and they were out there every day putting their lives at risk to look for him. They were out there all day, every day, and then you had Bridie O’Connor making us the tea, the little things like that meant so much to us,’ said Breda.
Paying special thanks to David ‘Blondie’ O’Brien, Fr Swan, Fr Furlong, and the rescue crews from Carrick-on-Suir, Killarney and the Irish Underwater Search & Recovery Unit (IUSRU), Breda said she hoped this fundraiser would help preserve her brother’s legacy into the future.
‘Bunny was so popular, we maybe didn’t realise how popular until this happened. Everybody thought so much of him.’