Galtee Rovers community remember Sandra in a special way

Covid-19 did not deter the Galtee Rovers club from proceeding with their annual memorial to the late Sandra O’Brien.

Local causes have benefited from a St Stephen’s Day fundraiser held in memory of Sandra.

In 2018 and again in 2019 a memorial match was organised by Galtee Rovers but because of Covid no match could be held this year.

Instead a GoFundMe page was set up to provide people with the opportunity to remember Sandra and to raise funds for good causes.

The GoFundMe page, which is now closed, raised €1,200 that will go to the Circle of Friends and to Roisin’s Relentless Fight.

In total over the last three years the annual event has raised in excess of €4,000.

“Sandra’s family had a very strong association with the club. Her brothers played for the club and her family would always have been Galtee Rovers people,” said club man, Liam Bergin.

Liam said that despite Covid, people were determined to remember Sandra in a special way.

“Sandra was very involved with Circle of Friends. The O’Brien family were very good to Circle of Friends and were always very supportive of the work they were doing,” said Liam.

Liam said the St Stephen’s Day memorial matches held the last two years were “heartwarming occasions” that saw the whole community come out to remember Sandra, show support for the O’Brien family and to raise funds for local causes.

“The community lost the opportunity this year to meet up on St Stephen’s Day but that did not stop people from remembering Sandra and hopefully next year we will all be able to meet again when we hold another memorial match,” said Liam.

Tara O’Brien, a sister of Sandra, said the family were delighted that despite Covid the community remembered Sandra and also managed to help two very good causes.

Tara said that Sandra had a very powerful link to Circle of Friends even before her diagnosis. Sandra was one of the first to support the Buy a Brick campaign and when Sandra had to avail of the services because of her diagnosis she was deeply appreciative of the support and friendship the centre offered her.

EXCEL CENTRE

Sandra was one of a family of thirteen and worked in the Excel and in Aldi. She passed away in September 2018.

“We were thrilled that Galtee Rovers organised the memorial match which meant a lot given the family connection to the club. The memorial match was a great community event for the two years it was held and this year while the match could not be held it was great that the community could remember Sandra and help out Circle of Friends and the Price family,” said Tara.