A PAIR of brothers from Shannon who both died in tragic circumstances 26 years apart, will finally be laid to rest together following a huge fundraising campaign.
A Go Fund Me initiative was set up last week in a bid to reunite brothers Jack and Danny Myers, who were both victims of separate road traffic accidents 26 years apart, so they may be laid to rest together.
In just one week, the people of Shannon have exceeded their goal raising almost €11,000 for the Myers family.
Jack, the second of four boys, died at the age of six, in a road traffic accident outside of his primary school, St.Aidan’s National School in Shannon, in 1998.
He was buried in Limerick with his paternal grand- mother, because at the time Shannon did not have a graveyard of its own. For 26 years Alice and Denis have driven 45 minutes to visit
Jack’s grave.
Christmas is a difficult time for Alice and Denis Myers as it brings to mind the loss of their youngest son Jack. However, this year was especially hard for the Myers asthey journeyed to graveyards in both Shannon and Limerick to be with two of their sons at Christmas.
“Having Jack in Limerick, it’s never something we have been comfortable with. Especially now that we have to drive over the site of Danny’s accident to get there,” Alice explained.
The eldest Myers son, Danny (38), was struck by a car on the N18 near Cratloe, in the early hours of the morning on June 1, 2024, whilst walking home from Limerick. At the request of his two children, Danny was buried in Shannon graveyard, walking distance from his son and daughter.
Since the opening of the graveyard in Shannon in 2000, Alice and Denis have intended to bring Jack home to Shannon. Danny’s recent accident has made the reinternment of Jack a priority for them. Alice explained to The Clare Echo that the cost of moving Jack’s remains to Shannon has been the Myers family’s biggest obstacle.
“To pay for Danny’s funeral costs, we took out a loan from the Credit Union,” Alice explained. “We thought about taking out another loan to get Jack home, but then Michelle broached the subject with us.”
Michelle Halpin, a family friend of the Myers, has seen the difficulties the family has had to deal with throughout the past 26 years. Michelle spoke to Alice about allowing her to organise a community fundraiser to relieve some of the financial burden and help to bring Jack home.
Initially, the idea of accepting help was uncomfortable for Alice and Dennis. The family had always felt that this was something they should be able to do on their own, a matter of pride in their own strength.
Michelle’s initiative to create the GoFundMe campaign allowed the family to accept the sup- port of their community, a gesture that has brought them unexpected relief in their time of need.
The campaign has garnered support from the entire community of Shannon. In only eight days the campaign has surpassed its goal of €10,000.
Alice expressed deep gratitude to the community, saying, “We are so grateful to every single person who has donated. We are so grateful to the entire community.”
The overwhelming response to the GoFundMe campaign has not only provided the funds needed for Jack’s reinterment, but also given Alice and Dennis a sense of hope and support they did not expect.
Through Michelle’s efforts, messages of love and solidarity have flooded in from friends and neighbours.
“Since Michelle started the GoFundMe campaign, we have been receiving messages from friends and neighbours saying that they have wanted to reach out and help, but didn’t know how. They are delighted that they can help in this way,” Alice said.
For the family, bringing Jack home is a step toward healing. The hope is that Jack will be reinterred in Shannon, where his family can visit him more easily and where he will be laid to rest beside his brother.
“We just have to hope and see. We just have to get there and get it done, and it would be really, really nice to have them together for Danny’s anniversary,” said Michelle.
