On behalf of my parents, my sister, and our extended family I wanted to welcome each of you here this evening.
Next Saturday will mark 6 months exactly since our Martin passed away in the warm and tender care of the incredible people at Galway Hospice – from the longest day of the year (21st June) to the shortest – 21st December – the summer to the winter solstice. Indeed, this Christmas morning will mark 2 years exactly since Martin experienced his first ever symptoms what he referred to as his “medical condition” Few of us could ever contemplate the courage needed, but Martin faced with grace, dignity, and his very matter of fact approach to it all – “it is what it is” as he said as the going forever got tougher.
Arriving into Galway yesterday a couple of us over from London couldn’t help but notice how great she looked with her twinkling Christmas lights all over the place. As it should be, the town was buzzing with everyone racing about. Whatever you personally think about all the fuss and nonsense over Christmas when all is said and done it is about coming home, spending time with family and friends and marking the end of another year and another passing season. Our family is far from unique in one massive presence being missing at the table this year – in the 6 months of Martins passing he was counted as one of over 300 people who also closed their eyes for the final time in Galway Hospice. That’s a lot of families with only memories to sustain them this Christmas, but all of them would join my own in thanking the extraordinary talents of everyone here in Galway who work in any way to help those facing their own diagnosis.
As he faced his final curtain, Martin went out with a bang -with the help if his friends and fellow musicians organised his “Tribute to the Greats” night last May raising so much funds for Cancer Care West. They day he arrived into the warm embrace of Galway Hospice he joked with the doctors and staff they’d have to let him out again the following weekend to do the same again for the Hospice. It’s in that spirit his friends have come together and launched the Martin Murray Foundation tonight – to give of their time and talents to protect and support these essential resources for the people of the West of Ireland. For that they should be saluted.
Martin’s short life however won’t be defined by a cruel disease or the snatched years we expected to have together. Music was the love of his life and through it he made so many genuine friendships and had so much fun. This is why I am so personally pleased that the other great aim of the Martin Murray Foundation will be to help encourage, nurture and support young people in Galway to explore their own musical abilities and gifts – and most importantly to discover for themselves the real and last friendships, camaraderie and fantastic fun that can be found in coming together with others to learn, explore and play music of all genres and styles.
It’s too easy to bash the additive nature of the modern age of smart phones and social media, but they are by their nature ironically quite isolating, and studies are now showing the negative impacts on young people growing up in a digital first world. Its’ my belief that if this foundation helps any young person to grow in confidence by putting down a phone for an hour to pick up an instrument, by learning more about themselves and connecting with the next generation of musicians in Galway then we will have achieved great things.
As we launch the Martin Murray Foundation – I want to take a moment to thank each of you for joining us and standing with us tonight and in the times ahead as we strive to build a lasting tribute to my brother. Your support, the support of the wonderful people of Galway and beyond – be it your presence here tonight, your time, your contributions when we start the fundraising, your using of your own musical talents to bring this vision to life or just your belief in what we are doing – this means the world to our family – thank you.
So, from our family to yours can I also take this opportunity to wish everyone here a very “Murray” Christmas.
Thank you.
A GALWAY musician who packed a whole lot into his short 34 years of his life made his last gig a memorable one – raisi
