‘It’s very hard to put into words, you get the strength from somewhere to keep going’

The heartbroken mother of a Rathmolyon teen who was tragically killed in a car accident just two weeks before he was due to sit his Leaving Cert in 2017 says an annual charity event helps to keep his memory alive.

Sport loving Evan Brennan (17), was on his way to hurling training in May 2017 when he was involved in a car accident that claimed his life, leaving his family and wide circle of friends in the Rathmolyon and Summerhill areas devastated.

As his parents, Sandra Boggan and Shane Brennan began to rebuild their lives, they came up with the idea to hold a day to celebrate Evan's life and love for sport and so the Evan Brennan Hurling Skills Challenge was born.

Sandra says this year's event that took place last Saturday in Rathmolyon Hurling Club was "a huge success" as the community rallied to remember the popular teen. Proceeds raised from the day will go to Féileacáin, a charity that offers support to anyone affected by the death of a baby around the time of birth.

"Saturday was a brilliant day, it was fantastic to see all the children out giving the skills challenge a go, from start to finish whether it was the kids races or the skills challenge there was a great buzz. It was great to be able to do it for such a great charity too that helps so many people in their time of need so every euro helps make the charity be there to help the parents and their families.

"We would like to thank everyone who turned out on the day or made a donation online. Of course it couldn't of run as smoothly as it did without everyone who helped out on the day."

Sandra recalls that fateful day in 2017 that changed her life forever.

"Evan was 17 was on his way to hurling training one night and had a car accident and he passed away," said Sandra.

"That whole time was just a blur, I was just in shock really. Myself and my partner Mickey and Evan's dad Shane and his wife Aine, the four of us really came together and supported each other. Evan has a little brother, Sean too so it was important to be united."

Sandra says the two communities rallied around the family and made a difficult time easier to cope with. She added:

"It's very hard to put into words, you get strength from somewhere to keep going. I have to say the local hurling and football clubs are great, they were there for everything, they were hands on, it made me realise how much of a community spirit there was between Rathmolyon and Summerhill. They never forgot Evan, people still talk about him, he worked in the local Centra so he would have been well known.

"People have told me so many stories about kind things Evan did for them that I didn't know about."

The grieving mum says she gets some comfort that Evan was on his way to doing what he loved much when his life was taken. She added:

"Evan lived for hurling, he always had a hurl and sliotar in his hand, it was his number one passion, it came before anything and it is just a tragic thing that he happened to be going training when he died. It's nearly a happy medium that he was mad about hurling and he was on his way to doing what he loved the most when he had his accident."

Sandra said putting energy into the organising the Hurling Skills Challenge the year Evan died was a distraction from the grief.

"Shane came up with the idea, Evan died in the May and first skills challenge event was at the end of August.

"The skills challenge is so important because it represents Evan and what he loved and people come together for that reason.

" I suppose it's also about getting them to appreciate that everything can change in a split second."

It was important for Sandra to ensure Evan's friends got the support they needed having lost their friend.

"It was very tough for his friends too because it was just two weeks before the Leaving Cert and I probably put myself into the mode of ‘oh, you have to think of them and make sure they are alright’," she remembers.

"The school and the different clubs offered them great support and were there if they needed anything. It is hard as an adult to come to terms with something like that never mind a child trying to come to terms with their friend gone in the blink of an eye."

Milestones are painful reminder that Evan is no longer with her according to Sandra who said:

"It's just surreal, you still expect him to walk through the door.

"It's like your right arm is gone, I think of him everyday. It was so close to the Leaving Cert and then there was the debs, there were so many milestones soon after like his 18th and 21st where you think I wonder what he'd be doing now."

Sandra says that her popular son is missed among his peer group and the wider community.

"His team mates told me that there was never a dull moment in the changing room with Evan, he did pantos and would get up and sing with his friends, anything for a laugh or to avoid going to school! He was a happy-go-lucky lad and he loved to chat in the shop where he worked."

Memories are what keeps the family moving forward says the Rathmolyon woman.

"Me and Evan did so much together, we had a really good relationship, that's probably one thing that gets me through it is that I will always have the memories.

"He would also have had a great relationship with his dad, Shane and Mickey and Aine as well. He had two good set of parents."