Hundredsofcandleslit formuch-missedKeelan

THE family of the late Keelan O’Connor have been overwhelmed by support from the community in the past year as they struggled to come to terms with his sudden death from meningitis.

Last Thursday evening his friends lit hundreds of candlees at Fassaroe in his memory to mark Keelan’s first anniversary, just weeks after he would have been celebrating his 16th birthday and getting his Junior Cert results.

His stepfather Jonathan said that it brought back the day a year ago when the family returned from the funeral home to a huge crowd waiting in Fassaroe. ‘I didn’t even think that many people were in the estate,’ said Jonathan, describing their walk home with the teenager. ‘It felt like they were pushing us up the hill.’

Keelan’s mother Leanne still goes to the football matches of his former team in Enniskerry. There is a plaque up in the dressing room with his number and name, as well as a photo of him with another boy, Jack Harvey, who also sadly lost his life last year.

Members of the football team, St Teresa’s boxing club, his school Woodbrook College, his local friends, the Little Bray youth centre and the community at large have made a terrible year a little easier for the grieving family.

‘He’s not forgotten,’ said Jonathan. ‘ There was a lovely Mass on Thursday evening and the church was crowded. It was a very hard day.’ Meanwhile, his friends had been planning their tribute for weeks. Everyone got jars and tea lights to create a beautiful display in Keelan’s honour at Fassaroe.

They cut the grass themselves, and put in a huge amount of effort to make the evening extremely special. ‘He had so many friends,’ said Jonathan, adding that they still come to see the family and take the younger boys out to play football.

Keelan’s class came to see them and brought flowers for Leanne. The whole community got involved, with the community centre providing tea and coffee.

Jonathan works in the Igo in Ballybrack and they provided sandwiches for those gathered to remember Keelan. ‘Stuff like that helps the day go better,’ said Jonathan.

For Keelan’s birthday recently, many of his friends gathered to jump in to the harbour for a swim, something the lively and fun young man loved to do himself. While it has been their worst year, the family has given its blessing to a range of events in support of the Meningitis Research Foundation in Keelan’s memory, and they continue to do so. A football match with Little Bray Community Centre and Bray Gardai will take place at Carlisle Grounds on Wednesday, October 12, at 3.30 p.m. Admission is free with a bucket collection to raise money for the charity.