Meath Garda Youth Awards

Group winners - A Day for Darren, Oldcastle

On 11th September 2019, the community of Oldcastle was stunned to learn that a fine young man who was a fine footballer named Darren Connell, who died tragically.

Seven of his closest friends - Harry Ryan, Craig Mullen, James McCluskey, Pearse Sheridan, Sean Guirke, Ronan Payton and Ned Bruton - developed an inspirational idea to promote Darren’s memory, mental health and raise money for a terrific charity, Jigsaw Meath.

On 3rd October 2020, these lads completed a 110 km cycle around Meath, visiting some of the football fields which Darren graced (and chatted to referees!) during his career. They started in Gilson Park and Millbrook, homes of Oldcastle GFC, and continued to Dunganny and Pairc Tailteann to kick points in Darren’s memory.

The videos on the 'Day for Darren' Facebook page bear witness to the heart rendering support expressed for these lads and Darren’s family. The whole community of Oldcastle and beyond got behind a “Day for Darren” and €32,000 was raised for Jigsaw Meath, in Darren’s memory. This allowed Jigsaw to employ an extra counsellor for 2021.

Jim and Vera Connell have said that the event has helped their family through some of their darkest days, in that they know how much Darren is forever treasured by his friends and his community. To the present day, they are reminded of the generosity and kindness of the young people of Oldcastle.

The Meath Garda Youth Awards, sponsored by Centra, recognise the very positive contribution young people make in their communities and are about shining a light on their good works.

An Garda Siochana recognise that a lot of good work is being done by young people in every community throughout county Meath, and that we as a society should be very proud of them.