13 year old Oisin McGrath
LIFE is “forever broken” for the McGrath family a year on from the tragic death of 13-year-old Oisin.
Today, Friday, marks the first anniversary of the Belcoo student’s death and parents Sharon and Nigel have opened up about a life “irreparably broken without Oisin in it”.
“The sad reality we have found is that it does not get any easier. This can never be fixed, life is irreparably broken without Oisin it. It’s a life sentence, it doesn’t change, or lessen, or ever go away. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and you have no choice or escape. Nothing about life after losing Oisin is easy but we cannot give up, so we find a way and we keep going on together with our amazing family, friends and community propping us up all the way. It has been a horrendous year for many people in our community, so we ask you to keep all of them in your hearts also.”
Oisin, who died on February 12, 2015 was an organ donor and Sharon and Nigel take solace that their son gave the gift of life.
“We are comforted to know that five families are not suffering the grief and pain that we are and that five people have been given the gift of life from Oisin. We do take solace in the fact that Oisin helped these people with the most precious gift of all and continue to encourage families to talk about their wishes with respect to organ donation.”
From Oisin’s death the Oisin McGrath Foundation was set up in his honour and already in a short space of time has helped raise almost £50,000 for some very worthwhile causes.
Nigel and Sharon McGrath along with hundreds of participants just before the Run for Oisin last year in Belcoo
“The Oisin McGrath Foundation is inspired by Oisin’s life and was created to keep his spirit alive and to inspire others through his memory. The aim of the foundation is threefold; to Promote Organ Donation Awareness; to raise funds for Brain Stem and Brain Injury Research and Awareness; to raise proceeds to Develop Local Sporting Initiatives for young people. Oisin loved sport and really enjoyed life. The foundation in his memory will bring opportunity to others alongside celebrating his life. The family wanted to channel their energies into something positive in the midst of something so devastating.”
They continued:
“To date we have raised almost £50,000 through numerous events, some organised by the Foundation and many more by friends, family and the wider community. We never could have dreamed when we held the ‘Match for Oisin’ in May last year that things would have grown the way that they have. The generosity of spirit shown by the people of Fermanagh and surrounding counties never ceases to amaze us.”
Looking ahead and the foundation is working closely with the Fermanagh Trust and in the coming weeks will be launching a partnership.
“Through the Trust we will be opening applications for bursary awards to financially assist young people and sporting groups who are running youth sport projects that meet the Foundation criteria.”
Far from resting on the laurels of a successful year of fundraising there are a plethora of events planned for this year. Oisin’s aunt Paula Dolan and Canon Brian Harper from Ballinamallard are running the Liverpool Half Marathon in March for the Foundation, while the plans are to have three main events throughout the year, a Match, Cycle and Run for Oisin. With the support of the Belcoo Festival Committee, they also will continue to hold an annual ‘Run the Meadow for Oisin’ around the August 15.
“The Oisin McGrath Cup is also now established as an Ulster Colleges annual competition. Although not a fundraising event, this competition is key to the development of the year 8 boys in over 30 schools across Ulster and is a fantastic platform for promoting the Foundation’s objectives. We continue to welcome all events that people may wish to hold on our behalf.”
Sharon and Nigel added:
“Oisin loved life, his family, his friends, sport and socialising. The Oisin McGrath Foundation is about all of these things, we think that Oisin would love the Foundation and all that it stands for. His memory lives on through the Foundation and we think that he would be so proud of the number of young people who have been inspired to achieve new things and to push their limits because of it.”
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