6th year pupil Emily Gander July 2008

7th year pupil Mo Aamir July 2008

Tom Power with Mo Aamir and David Daz's dad

Here are some of the flowers brought by the gang to the Church on the third anniversary of the death of our lovely boy Darragh.

Now heres some of the gang at the church on 11/6/2008

FRIENDS LIKE THESE

There is something a little different about this tribute, it is not about Daz, it is actually from Daz or to be more precise Darraghs family.
On the anniversary of our lovely boy leaving us, Pats and I bought some flowers and took them up the church, with the intention of having a little tidy up, so things would be nice should anyone decide to drop by to pay their respects.
As we approached the plot I saw someone sitting by the little garden, it was Alex, as the three of us sat chatting I saw that there were already bunches of flowers around his stone.
Alex had brought flowers, as had Alison, Michelle and Fern, Chloe and her family, our little vase had just managed to contain the flowers I brought, I needed something bigger, as I set of to find a larger container, I was already thinking bucket, then Michael turned up.
After a good search the best I could find was a big watering can, I came back to find our little band had swelled to six, including Jacob and another lad I did not even know.
As I busied myself arranging the bunches of flowers in the watering can, despite the derisory comments from the lads, I could feel myself starting to get a bit emotional at the effort these teenagers had made on my boys behalf.
Then more turned up including Amber and her sister Heather, TJ, the owner of the biggest smile in Sompting, and some others I do not know their names, we were now up to twelve, and more flowers.
Flower arranging now became impossible, it was just a matter of trying to cram them all into the watering can, where there’s a will there’s a way, I managed it, just! Patsy took some pictures of the flowers, then we tried to take some of the assembled group, but trying to get them all in the one photo and keep them all in focus was proving hard to do, so I split them into two groups, one lot all the good looking ones and the other the facially challenged, I will let you decide which group is which.
Michelle, Fern, Chloe, Beth and Tracy, I know you all went up and I am sorry we missed you, you would all have made the group of the beautiful people, there was one lad who quite frankly was lucky to make the cut first time round who would have been demoted and you know who you are, TJ, don’t ya?
Anyway, by this time, my emotions were starting to get the better of me, it was just such a perfect moment for me to have you all gathered there, laughing and just being yourselves, all joined in memory of Daz, but not letting it become a somber occasion, I did not want to spoil it so I signaled to Pats that we should go and leave you lot to it!
So anyhow, to sum it all up before I go right off on one, Firstly, my apologies to anyone who was there who I did not mention, to the young ladies who came by the church but I did not see, it would have been nice to say hello to you all.
A massive THANK YOU to you all for making it such a special day, for making an old man very happy and for giving me a memory I will always hold dear from me, Granny Pat and most importantly from Darragh for holding his memory and allowing it still to bring a smile to all our faces!
Darragh, Master Of The Universe, he jokingly called himself, but whatever he was, he was because he had you lot as friends, you are all part of a great group, and he is a lucky lad to count you all as his friends .So, respect to you all, see you next year and if there is ever anything I can do for any of you, please don’t be afraid to ask!
Thank you from Davie, Daz and Granny Pat. xxx

20 . 7 . 2007
Harley Atkins

Darragh Interred
27th May 2006

We interred Darragh in the lovely old churchyard of Saint Mary’s Sompting on the 27th May 2006. David, Darragh’s dad and I were asked by the minister to write about our thoughts and feelings of Darragh at this time. I am going to include these in to the tributes to Darragh these will also be put into the time line.
It has taken all this time to interr Darragh; we were just not ready,
but now it is done and our lovely boy is at rest.
Darragh was a boy of many facets.
He was a boy who loved playing and watching football. He especially loved when he scored goals or as he would say, “made them”.
Darragh had a style all of his own. He was confident in himself and this confidence made him caring for younger and weaker children that himself.
Darragh was a showman and a singer. He took part in many school shows in his years at Templars First School and Whitestyles middle School. He was also a leading light in the school choir, in fact any time he was on the stage his personality shone out.
Darragh had a wicked sense of humour. He loved to torment and make fun, but could enjoy a good laugh at himself. He would come onto a room eyes sparkling grinning from ear to ear and you would know “here comes trouble”
Darragh’s interests were many and varied, football, karate, chess, school choir, school shows, youth club, basket ball, play station, and girls.
Darragh took medication for his epilepsy most of his young life. This medication made him mature earlier than boys of a similar age. Although he was 12 years in years he was nearer 15 years of age in body and mind.
Darragh had a vivid imagination, which sometimes was not apparent at school, especially during English class. A fact to which , I am sure Miss Errat Rose will testify.
Darragh would tell of many exploits on the football field, to hear him tell of the many goals he scored dribbling past countless players and thundering the ball into the back the net from massive distances would have made you laugh. However I am sure if you were to ask any of his team-mates if there was a better person to have in the trenches beside them when a game got niggly, I don’t think there would be many names on the list before Darragh’s.
The music we are listened to: - The world’s Greatest, was found for us by Carrie Potter. When Carrie played it for Darragh’s class mates, they all thought it was just Darragh.
When we lost this boy,
 a son, a brother, a grandson,
 a nephew, a cousin, and a friend. 
We lost a bright star that shone on each and everyone of us.
He was a friend to everyone.

He is Dazmond Master of the Universe


My son David was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1978when he was 18 years old. For many years now he has been on medication and though at times of extraordinary stress or tiredness he may have a crisis, in general he has the condition under control. It was a shock to us when David’s son Darragh started showing signs of epilepsy when he turned 9. Nevertheless with David’s experience of the disease we were under the impression that barring a bad fall or choking in the midst of a fit, that epilepsy was a disturbing but not life-threatening condition.
How wrong we were. David’s beautiful boy died on Saturday 11th June. His death was sudden. A terrible bolt from the blue. After weeks of autopsy and investigation, we were given the diagnosis ´death due to epilepsy´. Only after the event have we discovered for ourselves that there is a syndrome called Sudden Death from Epilepsy (SUDEP). Many of the professionals that we dealt with during that terrible time, including the Coroner, had never heard of SUDEP.
With two generations of young men in my family with epilepsy it is astonishing and very worrying that I had never been told of this syndrome. From the SUDEP website, it is clear that there are many families in the same position. It is a tragedy to lose any loved one, but it is so much harder to deal with when the circumstances surrounding the death are cloaked in mystery and confusion.
There is so much more to be learned and explained about epilepsy. The condition must be brought out into the light and what is already known must be shared openly with epileptics and their families. Please if any of what I am saying here applies to you or your loved ones contact me on tagorous@lycos.com.
Our Darragh was a wonderful boy. In his short life he seemed to fill every minute with activity and fun. He loved football and was an ardent Liverpool fan. At his school, White Styles Middle School, Sompting, he was games captain, an achievement he was very proud of. He was a natural born showman and took part in many of the school productions including Oliver where he stole the show as the Artful Dodger, Supercalufragilistic and Joseph.  Another of his talents was singing in the choir. He was known for his humour, laughter, charisma and his fun and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him


REMEMBER
At 10:00 p.m. on the 1st of every month
let's all light a candle and say a prayer.
We will ask for peace for our lost ones
 and comfort for ourselves.
THANK YOU SELMA FLYNN
www.bobbo.memory-of.com