Over €6,500 raised in Tommy’s memory
THE memory of one of Drogheda’s finest sons was honoured last week, when a cheque for the staggering sum of €6,669 was presented to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.
The money was raised by family, friends and colleagues of the late Tommy Murray, who died unexpectedly in Spain in October last year.
A former worker in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital for over 50 years, Tommy’s closest friends rallied to help his widow Rita, who used the services of the Kevin Bell Trust when returning her late husband’s remains.
“They are an amazing charity, and no one knows the hour when they might need their help, as the cost of repatriating remains is huge, along with the difficulty that goes along with the process,” explains Terry Sands, who worked alongside Tommy in the hospital maintenance department for 37 years. “The trust does so much great work, so we knew we wanted to do something to help out with their costs, as they are so generous.”
Tommy, who was from the Lourdes Square, took ill suddenly on a golfing holiday to Spain with pals John McGuire and Matt Kavanagh and sadly passed away.
The trust was set up by Newry man Colin Bell in memory of his son Kevin, who died in tragic circumstances overseas in 2013 at the age of 27. When local man Tommy died, the trust immediately stepped in to assist with the cost involved in bringing him home.
“On Friday May 4th, we held a night of entertainment in McHugh’s venue, which they kindly donated the use of, and we had Graham Sarsfield and Pulse also play free of charge,” adds Terry, who was the main organiser of the evening. “We have to thank everyone who donated spot prizes and money, to UNITE who gave €2,000 and members of the public, to help raise the incredible amount of money. We’re hoping this can be the first of many events to keep Tommy’s memory alive,” added Terry. “He was a great character, and a great friend, and I miss him terribly.”