O’Callaghan’s Mills Tractor Run To Remember Jack Moloney On His 21st Birthday

0:00Family and friends and o'callons, mills are coming together on Sunday, the 29th March for a special tractor run to mark what would have been the 21st birthday of Jack Maloney, the event will celebrate Jack's life by doing something he loved while also raising funds for headway, the organization that supports people affected by brain injury. And to find out more about all of this, I'm joined in studio by Jack's mother, Martina Maloney and his twin sister, Queva, a very good morning to both of you. Thanks for coming in. Thanks again. I'm really preciatious. Martina, can you tell us a little bit about Jack? What kind of young flow was he? Jack was happy. He was always happy. And this, sir, but a harmless messer. He loved to get a rise out here. The best kind of messer? Yeah, yeah. He loved to get a rise out here. He loved Farman. Farman was his team. He always, that was all tractors and, of course, his carer. And air fresheners in the carer. What happened? It's both out of nowhere. Yeah. Did he like just nice smells in general or only in his carer? Well, him and a friend, Darrell, they used to have

1:01a competition going with air fresheners. How many air fresheners they could build up? I don't know what the thing was, but he did. He was always, he loved nice smells. Did he have a particular favor? I'm kind of fond of Carlton, myself, now. No, he was an equal opportunity. He loves the black eyes. Oh, the black eyes, okay. The black eyes, yeah. Yeah. Very good. Okay. I love farming, which I guess is what we did. The tractor run is such an apt way to honor him. And can I ask you what, you know, at the risk of asking silly question, what have things been like since Jack's passing? As a family, it's circular friends that the community, you know, Collins Mills. It changes, George. Being like, does a part, does a part gone now? At the start, we were a lot worse, weren't we, queer? It's only now, you know, you kind of just have to get used to, I just do life kind of without him, just kind of have to.

2:02But you love us, George. You love us, miss him. And yeah, yeah. You're always thinking about him when we carry him with us always like, and I know it will always be thinking of him. Two years now is nearly gone. But like, it's two years for a normal person, but for us, it still doesn't feel like two years, if you know what I mean. Like it's all, yeah, is it that weird mix of the time has passed really quickly, but at the same time, in some ways, maybe it's felt longer, because I'm sure there hasn't been a single day that's gone by when you all haven't thought of him countless times. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I wonder who you as well, and kind of, I don't know if I was watching it. I feel I'm last, not in part of the story, involved a young boy who's a twin and loses his brother, and he's just completely bereft. And you know, you always hear about that special connection between twins, you know, there's more of a kind of an indelible bond. Was it like that with you and Jack? It was always just the two of us. And we kind of went through everything together, like every stage of life, let's say. And you don't really realize how much of a comfort that was until kind of he's gone now. Birthdays and any occasion really is really difficult,

3:05but it is nicer to kind of celebrate the memories we do have with him, and we really do cherish at the time that we did get to spend with him, even though it was short, but we were lucky, we were really close, and we have so many nice memories with him to really remember him. Plenty of positives to focus on. And I guess in terms of focusing on positives, Martina, this tractor run, it's going to be very positive event because it'll be another opportunity for not just yourselves as the family, but everyone in the community to really remember Jack. I'm sure there'll be a lot of fun memories and happy stories shared, but it's going to, it's for an important cause as well. Talk to, and I'm sure it's been a great way to channel all of your energies and to put them together. So talk to us about the tractor run, how long it's been in the making, and maybe we'll talk a bit about headway, why they're the charity that should be recognizing and supporting. Well, a few in the community and his friends last year, they were kind of saying, Joe, could they do a tractor run? And the storm cried because they said he'd love,

4:05he'd love to do a tractor run, can we do it? But we really weren't ready last year. And I said, if we're ever going to do a tractor run, we do it on the 21st because I just feel the 21st is a hard American. Yeah, so it's a really significant burden and Joe, for Queeve, then, is well. Joe, I mean, I think it kind of brings them together to law in a weird way, if you know what I mean. So the community, then, they really helped us, isn't there? They started helping us, organizing us. They really helped us get it started. Yeah, cause we inter-clew. And his friends, they message Queeve, asking an offer and any help. Countless messages asking, do we need anything? Do we need a hand? They really good. And they will be there. Yeah, any help? People saying they love the idea and they will be there. And everyone knows it's something he would have loved. Yeah, absolutely. Now, if he, like I always said it, he's probably looking down at the cinema wall. You know, he just, the whole thing. And... It wasn't one for the spotlight. Yeah. Just loved it, yeah.

5:06He was. And I mean, look, for you, Queeve, as well. I mean, Jack's 21st, so that the air go. What do you mean, it's yours as well. And I guess this will be a very, you know, it's a significant burden anyway. It'll be a very poignant one for you. They just are so hard, especially because... They're never going to be the same because he's not there, like it. It was always our birthday. It was always Jack and Queeve on the cake. Double celebration. But you are so used to that, then. It is really hard not having him around. But we really just wanted to do something positive to America for him and just something that reflected who he was. And he just loved framing tractors and celebration who... And he, do you think I'll see it? I'm the charity one now. I can't. He would have loved it here in radio, so... Oh, yeah, shit. That would have been his element, yeah. He would adjust, yeah. And can you tell us about the choice of Headway Ireland as the charity or supporting? Um, Headway, they do really incredible work, supporting people affected by brain injuries and their families as well. They really provide so much like support, advice and services for people going through

6:07really difficult times. So we just thought it really suited and it was just important to raise funds and kind of awareness for everything they do. It's just hard. Because he's... He's injuries were all brain, so that's why we picked... Yeah, it's an apt choice. Yeah, yeah. So it's happening on Sunday, the 29th of this month. Where is it starting from? What time does it get underway, Martina? And also, how can people get involved? I'm sure they can donate on the day. There be buckets and all that kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. Go fund me, I donate a page. I donate a page. It's starting at the Middles Tavern. 12 o'clock is registration. Takeoff is one o'clock. So then... Afterwards, we have the rule put up. Yeah, so you're going to... It's going from the Middles Tuller, say, down by Budaik and back. And then we have music refreshments. Yeah. We have spot prizes and we're going to have an auction for the day. So we're hoping for a kind of go-to announcement.

7:08Everyone's been really generous to have prizes and for the auction and everything we're really. But that's when a community really shows it's worth coming together like that. And I presume we're about two weeks out from it. Yeah. Just over that can be anyone out there in the area. A tractor wants to take part. Can they still get involved? Yeah. Anyone who wants to show up on the day we'd love to see as many as possible. Yeah. Okay. And in terms of... I don't know if you don't have a tractor and you just want to come for... Show your support. Is there a Facebook page or a website? A Facebook Instagram. Yeah. Yeah. So how's the best way for people to search us? If you look up tractor run for Jax 21st, it should come off. And we have donate page online. And you can also buy raffle tickets online as well. You find them on the page if you want to support that way. Okay. Well look, I mean, out of tragedy comes something positive, thankfully and hopefully a lot of money is raised for headway Ireland and hopefully there's a lot of happy memories and happy times highlighted on the day as well. And an early happy 21st birthday.

8:10To Quiva as well, we can't forget that. Quiva and Martina Malone, thank you so much to the Boltefer for coming in and we wish you the very best with the tractor on the 29th of March. In O'Callons, mails.