Injured Tipperary postal worker will benefit from the Quirke brothers' CD launch

Retired postman Sean Quirke has teamed up with his brother Ned to record a fundraising CD of songs for Sean’s former colleague Ryan O’Dwyer, who was seriously injured in a road traffic accident almost a year ago.

The collection of songs titled Rebels for Ryan will be officially launched at the Emigrant’s Rest Bar at the Old Bridge, Clonmel at 8.30pm next Saturday, June 17.

“Ryan is a lovely person who deserves all the support we can give him,” says Sean. “It’s a great cause”.

38-year-old Ryan from Ballyrichard, Carrick-on-Suir, who worked for An Post, was returning home from work on July 11 last year when he was involved in a serious road traffic accident.

He had to be airlifted to Cork University Hospital, where he was put into an induced coma. He underwent two brain operations and also suffered severe spinal injuries, which unfortunately left him paralysed from the chest down.

Ryan suffered life-changing injuries and will require rehabilitation therapy, medical treatment and support with the long-term costs associated with his injuries.

The GoFundMe appeal, Ryan O’Dwyer’s Road to Recovery, has raised more than €87,000 of its €100,000 target.

In an update posted online last month, appeal organiser and Ryan’s sister-in-law, Marie Holohan stated “Ryan is recovering well and please God will soon be out of his hospital bed and in his wheelchair continuing with his rehabilitation.
“Work will commence in the coming weeks to adapt Ryan’s home”.

She thanked everyone who has supported the appeal, saying “We are overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity”.

Sean Quirke, a well-known local singer/songwriter who is originally from Clondulane, Fermoy, played as the support for acts including The Miami Showband and Joe Dolan before he emigrated to Stockwell in south London in 1972.

There he met his wife Margaret, who is from Croydon in south London, and whose mother was Madge Lonergan from Scrouthea in the Old Bridge area of Clonmel.

Sean maintained his involvement and interest in music during his time in London, where he performed in many of the popular Irish dance halls including the National in Kilburn and The Harp in New Cross.

The couple returned to Ireland to live in Scrouthea in 1978. Sean worked as a postman in Clonmel for almost 35 years until his retirement six years ago, and he has continued to perform and write songs over the years.

Presenting a programme of mostly American country music on hospital radio at Tipperary University Hospital, he released a CD called Try A Little Kindness a few years ago to raise funds for the hospital radio.

And as someone with a long involvement with Clonmel Óg hurling and football club, serving in roles including secretary and chairman and as the club’s current president, he also wrote several songs for the GAA club, many of which have been recorded on CD.

These include The Ogie’s Fine Son (A Premier Dream), a song to honour and help keep alive the memory of Jack Downey, the 19-year-old Clonmel Óg player from Ard Caoin, the son of Elaine and Johnny Downey, who died at Cork University Hospital on August 5 2019 after falling ill at the Indiependence music festival in Mitchelstown.

Now Sean has turned his hand to another good cause, along with his brother.

“I was delighted to work with Ned,” says Sean. “Since we were very young he was a good guitarist and I was a good singer”.

The CD Rebels for Ryan includes great versions of a dozen well-known folk and rebel songs including Dingle Bay, The Old Dungarvan Oak, Sean South of Garryowen, My Lovely Rose of Clare, Grace, Katie Daly and Galway Bay.

The music was arranged by Tony and Thomas Egan at MC Studios, Kilnoracey, Ballyneale, Carrick-on-Suir.

No costs were incurred in the production of the CD and Sean is very grateful to everyone who has helped out.

All are welcome to attend next week’s CD launch.

“We’re hoping for a good attendance and people are travelling from Fermoy and Carrick-on-Suir,” says Sean.

Rebels for Ryan is now on sale in the Centra store, Old Bridge, Clonmel; and the Applegreen service station at Dungarvan Road, Clonmel.