NEWSLETTER

Over the course of the past few weeks there has been a Novena taking place in the
Edenderry parish. This novena was all organised by Fr. McEvoy himself. Fr. MckEvoy invited
some guest speakers to talk about their experiences/ stories. The guest speaker where:
• Johnny Murtagh
• Joanne O’Riordan
• John Lonergan
• Elma Walsh
As over the past few weeks I have been doing a project on Donal Walsh, I was particularly
interested in Ms. Elma Walsh. Before the novena, I went down to the parish and spoke to
Fr. McEvoy. I wanted to organise a personal interview with Elma Walsh. I was both excited
and nervous to meet with Elma Walsh. The mass started at 7.30, I met my tutor Lorraine
and her family at the mass. The mass was absolutely beautiful, and the choir did amazing
singing. Elma Walsh got up and spoke about her son Donal and how he got the cancer.
She was so brave to get up in front of an audience and speak as clear as she did.
When Elma spoke about Donal, she explained that Donal believed that he having cancer
was like climbing a mountain, she explained the everybody has their mountains / problems they have in life. That there is always a
door open for help. Suicide is not the answer.
Donal’s message: “So please, as a 16 year old who has no say in his death
sentence, who has no choice in the pain he is about to cause and who
would take any chance at even a few more months on this planet, appreciate
what you have, know that there is other options and help is always
there.”
I appreciated the Elma has a long drive back to Kerry, so I allowed her to take my
questionnaire with her and post it back to me whenever she was ready. I also asked
her would she take a picture with me and my tutor for my project. She replied “I would
be delighted to.” The next day I was sitting in youthreach when the photographer came
up to give me the photographs. About a week later my questionnaire from Elma Walsh
returned. Her answers giving were remarkable. She also posted some wrist bands. I
was extremely nervous talking to Elma, what was I was going to say to her? or even
how to start speaking to her but it turns out I was nervous for nothing. She was an
ordinary, friendly woman that I am delighted I have met.
Top Right:
Centre Left:
Bottom Left:
2
Edenderry Student, Tricia Mooney Meets
The Late Donal Walshs Mother Elma
Fr PJ McEvoy, Elma Walsh (Donals Mam), Tricia Mooney Trainee Lorraine O Neill,
Tutor 0f Youthreach Edenderry
Lorraine O Neill (Tutor) , son Ronan & Joanne O Riordan, Guest Speaker at
Edenderry Novena
Fr PJ, Elma & Tricia
After mass I went up to speak to Elma Walsh. She was talking to loads of
people, so she threw me her car keys and asked me to go to her car and get
more memory cards and wrist bands. I couldn’t be more honoured. When
I went back into the church everyone wanted a card, the amount of kind
words people said about Donal was inspirational. Eventually I spoke to Elma
Walsh and she wanted to see my project, when the picture of Donal at the
debs came up she was telling me all about Joanne, the girl Donal brought to
the debs and how she is in college now but it took her a long hard journey
to get there, and she did it.