Shane Buggy, son of Crettyard man Ned Buggy, has launched a run in his late dad’s memory to raise funds for Pieta House.
The Buggy family lost their dad to suicide on April 23 last year and The Ned Buggy Memorial Run will take place on Sunday April 30 in St Abbans AC – to mark a year after his passing.
Speaking to LaoisToday, son Shane, who lives in New York where he owns and runs his own bar, revealed that he is still in a state of shock almost a year after his dad’s death.
He said: “It was a major shock to me and it still is to be fair. It still hasn’t set in to be honest.
“If you knew my father, there was never a time that you didn’t see him with a smile on his face.
“So depression was the last thing that you would think would hit this man. Everyone knew him for that smile. So what happened was a real shock to the system.”
Shane also gave us a sense of the type of man that Ned was.
He said: “My dad never said ‘no’ to anybody. If a charity event came around, be it Laois GAA, Crettyard GAA, St Abbans or the handball club in Crettyard, anything that needed to be done, he would do it.
“He was very well known across Laois, Carlow and Kilkenny. And when he died, people came from all over Ireland. They even came from New York and Australia for the funeral which was incredible.
“We have heard the most wonderful stories about the very special man. He was a once in a life time type of person. Kind, gentle and generous are words that are not enough to describe the man he was.”
Shane wanted to do something to honour his dad’s memory and it was his soon to be sister-in-law Stacey Marie Lyons that came up with the idea of a run.
He said: “About three years ago, my dad was carrying a lot of weight. He took it upon himself to go for a walk one day and he joined St Abbans AC soon after.
“He started walking there and before long he was running. Then he moved on to the Park Run in Vicarstown and he dropped a load of weight.
“So, after Stacey suggested doing a run, we said that this would be the best way to celebrate his life.”
All proceeds raised from the Ned Buggy Memorial Run will go to Pieta House to help them to continue the amazing work they provide for not only people who might be struggle with life, but to the families effect.
Shane revealed why he chose Pieta House as the organisation to donate money to
He said: “I met Joan Freeman (Pieta House founder) when she was in New York launching her Darkness Into Light campaign over here and I was very impressed by her.
“She’s actually going to be at my father’s run. She said she won’t run but she will be there to support.
“But this run is not just for us or my father. It is for everyone who has been gripped by this tragedy. So I want people to come and raise awareness.
“The vision that Pieta House have is that they want a world where suicide, self harm and stigma have been replaced by hope, self care and acceptance.
“I love their motto and their ideals so that is why I want to donate to Pieta House.”
On the day, the Buggy family hopes that no one will cross the finishing line alone. They say that “everyone, no matter who you are needs help sometimes”.
They have also set up a GoFundMe for people to donate to and the link can be found here.
