Sister of late Kieran Whelan’s heartfelt thanks to community for amazing support a year on

Kieran Whelan from Ballyshannon died in Baltimore, Maryland, US on Saturday

placeholder image — Kieran Whelan from Ballyshannon died in Baltimore, Maryland, US on Saturday

A special tribute concert in memory of the late Kieran Whelan will take place in the Bridgend Bar, Ballyshannon, this Saturday evening at 9pm where friends and former bandmates will join forces to honour his memory and celebrate his life, a year after his death.

A native of Cluain Barron, Kieran passed away suddenly in Baltimore, Maryland, USA last January.

He was a much respected and well loved local musician, before moving Stateside, a life he shared with wife Yanna.

In advance of this weekend’s tribute concert, one of his sisters, Andrea has spoken of her heartfelt grief, but overwhelming gratitude to the local community for the unstinting support her family had received since, and again especially over these past few months, with the grief compounded following the passing of their beloved mother Carol in October.

The late Kieran Whelan from Ballyshannon whose life will be remembered in music and song this weekend

She said that her partner's mother had then also passed away just six weeks later, making it a really challenging year.

Herself and sister Stephanie had been bowled over by the huge and continuing community support which the family had received.

She was also profusely grateful for the go fund me campaign that helped repatriate her beloved brother’s remains to his hometown.

She told the paper: “The concert was originally planned by his friends, for last year but Covid was still an issue and so it is fitting that it will now take place near his first anniversary, which is January 8, a day after the tribute.

“It is testament to the huge body of friends that he had here, even though he had been gone for some time. I have been amazed by this unbreakable bond that this group of friends and musicians have had with each other.

“The people of Ballyshannon and beyond are outstanding. They really do have your back when something happens, especially when it was so far away from home. There was never a day or an hour when somebody wasn’t calling up.

“People asking us how we were or how they could help. It was fantastic and something that could never be repaid.”

Andrea, who wears her heart on her sleeve and in paying her own emotional tribute to the people of Ballyshannon and beyond, added “they weren’t even asked, they just did it.”

She added that a first anniversary when someone you love has passed is very tough, but with the concert at the weekend, it would help.

“These people and the wider community have kept me going and I will never forget their outpouring of support and love. Even the most random of people that I might not know that well, sending words of support and encouragement. I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

She added that it would be nice if people wanted to pop along in the evening, even if just for a few minutes.