DARRAGH IS EVERYWHERE  / Melissa Smith (none)

I'm Everywhere

Dad don't mourn for me I'm still here,
though you don't see I'm right by your
side each night and day
And within your heart I long to stay
My body is gone but I'm always near
I'm everything you feel, see or hear
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
As long as you keep me alive in your heart
I'll never wander out of your sight
I'm the brightest star on a summer night
I'll never be beyond your reach
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach
I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around
And the pure white snow that blankets the ground
I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond
The clear cool water in a quiet pond
I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in spring
The first warm raindrop that April will bring
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine
And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine
When you start thinking there's no one to love you
You can talk to me through the Lord above you
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees
And you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze
I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face
Just look for me, I'm everyplace...
GOD IN HIS MERCY WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PATH OF PAIN
http://blakemoore.memory-of.com

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a freind called daz  / Clyde Curtis (freind)
darragh was the sort of freind in fairy storys.helping kids in trouble and gettin rid of bullys.hed fight if he had to but only then coz he was gentle.this is the daz i remember and love.good luck in the great beyond!(youll be running the place in a week!;~> Close

some thoughts  / Johnny Melkebeek (cousin to david )
i new Darragh when he was a wee boy,and what a boy,gleeming and full of energy with a constant big smile on his face,just like his dad,who i admire very much for his dignity and power to keep going on,and to keep believing in all the right things.......j Close

Darragh The Footballer.  / Colin Olney (Football Coach & Friend )
I was lucky to know Darragh for the best part of 3 years through football with Thistle Youth. In those 3 years Darragh scored some excellent goals and made some awesome tackles. I miss the stories of his goals. He was the one who always took the whole team on twice and then beat them again before scoring. You could always count on Darragh to be the one to make solid challenges for the ball and 9 times out of 10 the opposing player would always complain about the challenge.Th other good memories of Darragh was whenever we were winning by a large score he would walk around saying easy easy. Always told not to do that but he would laugh at me.

He is always in my thoughts and is hugley missed.

He will never be forgotten.


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a night to remember  / Your Dad (guess)

Recently Conor and i were invited to a wedding reception,it would be our first night out without Darragh,i must admit i thought long and hard about going.Dom and Sarah(the bride and groom)are parents of another friend of Darraghs,Dan,they both played for Thistle,a lot of the guests were other parents and their boys who all played for the team.
What finally decided it for me,was the fact that only wild horses would have kept Darragh from going!
So with some trepidation,Conor,my friend Sheila and i put our glad rags on and headed to the wedding and the best night i have had since i lost my star.
When we got there something happened that set the tone for the evening,i saw someone i thought i recognised,an older lady,i kept looking but nothing,eventually i asked who she was!
"her name is Jackie,she is a nurse and was there the night Darragh died"

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A night to remember(continued)  / Your Dad (guess)
As Darragh died this wonderful lady was the difference between me going berserk and remaining sane.Truely an angel!
As it turned out this lady was the mother of the groom Dom,i was telling him what i thought of his mum(trying not to break down),he said"I am a Liverpool fan and later on we will be playing Youll never walk alone and would you mind us dedicating it to Darragh"
The night continued with much laughter and dancing and drinking,a good time was had by all.
The dj announced a song dedicated to someone who cant be with us,everyone stood in a circle with arms round each other and tried to sing the familiar words.No-one could do it,everyone was crying,but not with grief,the easiest way to explain it was a mass feeling of loss.
When the song ended the ring of about 25 disbanded,the men and the boys drifting out into an adjoining garden.Crying inconsolably i apologised to Sarah(the bride,who looked lovely in her mermaid dress)for crying at her wedding but she was in as much of a state as me,looking round everyone was.
I thought the men had gone out of a sense of embarassment of the state i was in,but Conor came to me and asked"why is everyone crying in the garden"I now know the answer Conor to your innocent question.
Everyone had missed Darragh on an individual basis and now everyone at this lovely couples wedding was hit on a group basis,all at the same time,by the realisation that Darragh is gone,only kept alive by our memories of his character and wit.
This may sound as if it was a very traumatic evening but it wasnt it was lovely and i came away from the evening with a glow,knowing my boy had meant so much to so many people.
Thank you Dom and Sarah for inviting us,thanks Daz for talking me into it,thank you to everyone who was there for being there really and giving me a night to remember and for remembering Darragh! Close

A Brief Memory  / Julie Hume (Aunt)
Just a brief memory which is in my mind tonight of you, Conor, Dad, Granny Pat, Pop, Nino, Hania andI round a table in Fabiolas in Ten Bel. We were talking about how good your school was and all the different things you did there: the world war scrapbook, the sports and the drama. Your Dad said that you had a great memory and we were joking about you being a presenter on T.V.. Then you recited from memory a long tract from a football project and I had no doubt that if you ever chose drama and T.V. as your career, you would have been a knockout. You were a knockout already, Dazzer. A star. Shine on, babe, for your Dad and Conor, for your Granny Pat, your Mum , your little cousins here who didn't have the chance to know you really, and for everybody who will always remember you with a warm spot in their heart. Close

Football Shirt Presentation  / John Robinson (Friend)
John Robinson the international footballer
presented Darragh's dad with a wales shirt.
This will be included with other football
memorabiela that is to be auctioned.
Proceeds to the epilepsy fund.
Photos on the photo album. Close

hello daz  / Kelly Hewett (friend)
Hello Daz, dad and i were having a little chat today. I hope you are looking over him to give him strength. I bet he could do with your laughter right now.I hope you are resting in peach daz, i hope your in a better place. sleep tight xx
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dazmond the mighty  / Your Dad (guess)
I wrote your name to granny pat and i was struck by it!DARRAGH!It is unusual,eye catching,stand outish,it sums you up!I saw it getting on fifteen years ago in a book about an Irish royal family(i believe he was a prince),being a common or garden David,i decided my kids would have exceptional names(though none of your phoenix,trixiebelle or moon buggy nonsense)I feel you lived up to your name but that wasnt enough for you,you became Dazmond the mighty,Master of the Universe.Were the shackles put upon you here too much,i hope you can go where and when you want now!When i see you next,i dont want to be bored,show me the parts of your universe that excite you.I am going to wear you down,the way you did in your twelve years,it might take me an eternity but you are mine! Later geezer!love you!xxx Close

open your eyes  / Your Dad (guess)

Tomorrow,when you woke up,when you opened your eyes,you would have been a teenager.You would have been nearer your(our)dreams and another step nearer to being a man.
What a day i had planned for us(the three of us if Conor hadnt been at his mums).Remember last year the laugh we had down the pub playing pool with your new cue,you couldnt beat me last year,do you think you could have this year?I can picture you laughing as you answer that,wrong,i would still stuff ya!
Our day out would have been like that(a real boyz day out,no girls or women invited)fuelled by massive intakes of pizza and burgers,a day for us to laugh and have fun,just the way we liked it!
But the most important one isnt coming to the party,we will share no more birthdays together and it breaks my heart!
I will think of you tomorrow and the day we would have had and smile,i am proud you were my boy!       miss you always!love dad and conor xxxx

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Beautiful boys  / Julie Hume (Aunt)
I was far away when you were born and it wasn't until after Conor arrived in the world that I met both my lovely nephews. You, Conor and your mum and dad had arrived in Tenerife before me and were well settled by the time I got there. Conor was a little butterball then and you seemed so fine. How times change. You were turning into such a strapping lad and I see from the marks on the door that you would have been taller than me by the time we met face to face again. But back to that cheeky little face in 1997 (?). You and your Dad both had short hair and stringy rats tail pigtails. Apparently I was to have the honour of cutting off your dad's and of course I took great pleasure in doing so, (though I think he may have kept it in a matchbox for a while afterwards). I remember you in the pool at Tagoro Park. A little face with HUGE goggles. You were fearless and full of fun. And I remember your Dad winding you up with the air hockey story. He's started that one on Conor now. Heaven help me, before they go home from holiday I have to convince your little brother that I really was the Scottish Women's Champion Air Hockey player. I loved that holiday and so did Granny Pat. It was very special for her to have her two chicks together again after so many years with you and Conor as very special icing on the cake. And that holiday changed my life. Seeing my brother and his wife with two such beautiful children, spending time with family and sharing such good times together brought home to me a lot of what was missing in my own life. You brought such joy and pleasure to so many people Daz. The only way I can make sense of it is to tell myself that your work in this world was done. So be it. But oh! How we would have loved to watch you grow into all that potential. "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." You were the candle. Shine on. Love, Aunty Julie Close

r.i.p daz  / Hayley Brook (he was like a lil bro to me )

Im missing you loads darragha you was like my little brother its hard with out you here.So heres a little poem:

God looked around his Garden and found an empty place. He then looked down upon his earth and saw your loving face.

    He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest.
    His Garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best.
    You've left us precious memories, your love will be our guide,
    It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone.
    For part of us went with you on the day God called you home.

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my golden memory  / Carrie Potter (friend)
i will allways remember when we were doing a pactise paper for our c.a.ts we were all writting away and u were just sitting there looking at the paper and not writting so i looked at you for a minute then  just carried on writting at the end mrs.erratt-rose asked for all off our papers so when she got to you she said darragh wheres your work you said its here she then replied there is only 1 sentence you then said i couldn't write any more because i ran out of ink.mrs. erratt-rose got soooo upset and stared shouting at you because before we started writting she said have 2 pens in case you run out of ink or if you don't  ask me for a spare you can get one off me now or when you  run out of ink.that was one of your funniest excueses ever and most lamest but we still loved it. Close

My Golden moment  / Granny Pat
Darragh came to me one night and said "Granny Pat, I would like to make a cake in the microwave". I have tried to makes cakes in the microwave myself, but  never successfully, unless that is, your taste in cakes run to cardboard and concrete. Nevertheless, looking at Darragh's huge grin I just smiled back and said,  "Okay, Daz go for it!"

Well the outcome had to be seen to be believed. It was so hard you could have used it to build a house. We all tasted it, crumbling off little pieces and saying things like ‘maybe an egg would have helped’, and ‘maybe you cooked it too long’,  all the time smiling behind our hands.

Not easily daunted, the next night he went for it again. The outcome was a bit better but still not quite right. On the third night, wary of more microwaved bricks, I asked him if he'd like to try to bake a cake in the oven. He agreed and we set out all the ingredients on the counter top. He did everything right  this time, except perhaps for a little over-enthusiasm mixing the batter. Scraping the residue off the floor, I told him it would take at least 20 minutes for the cake to rise.  He was so excited I knew he would not be able to keep the oven door shut all that time so I asked if he would like to make pancakes. ‘Oh yeah!’ he said smacking his lips.

The next adventure began. We made the pancake batter and I showed him how to drop the pancakes into the frying pan but for Darragh it took too long to make all the small ones. He had to make some BIG ones. When his dad saw these large pancakes his eyes opened wide, very impressed with Darragh’s culinary skills. Eyeing the biggest, Dad said hopefully, 'That big one is for me I suppose?".
"No," Darragh snorted, "that big one is for me. I'm the cook!"

By the time the cake was out the oven and on the cooling rack, Darragh was beside himself with excitement.  He grabbed the rack and took it through to show his dad saying proudly, "Now, is that a cake or is that a CAKE, Dad?" We went on to make coffee butter icing for the top of Darragh's beautiful, oven-baked cake and Darragh shared it out to everyone; his Dad, Conor, myself and friends across the road and up the street. If there had been enough I think he would have been handing out that cake to strangers passing in the street, he was so proud of it.

Mind you, he did manage to keep two slices for himself and sitting beside his Dad to enjoy the fruit of his labours, beaming with accomplishment he announced, "Dad, I'm going to be a cook!". That was my golden moment, an unforgettable memory of our unforgettable boy.

Sadly he never got to be a cook. Darragh died the next day of SUDEP (sudden death due to epilepsy).

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.
To learn more about SUDEP visit: www.sudep.org
or email: epilepsybereaved@dial.pipex.com 

The major epilepsy charities in this country all try to work together, and they are all members of the Joint Epilepsy Council, an umbrella organisation fighting for epilepsy patients on all fronts.  Their specific task is in fundraising for research into the "causes and cures" of epilepsy.
http://www.epilepsyfund.org.uk
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A Happy Day  / Your Dad (Guess)
On the 17.9.92 Darragh was born at Southlands Hospital, Shoreham.
We should have known right from the first second, there was going to be something different about Darragh. First of all there was a power cut, then the emergency generators went on, very briefly!.
There I was standing by the bed whilst his mother held this tiny baby in her arms, the ward in total darkness. His Mum's Mother and Father, her brother and his wife all came to visit the new born Darragh.
Darragh's Grandfather John started to get quite irrate because he couldn't see hie new grandsons face in the darkness. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and started flicking it to try and get a light to see the little chap. A rather burly nurse shot across the ward from the gloom and berated him for the stupidity of lighting a naked flame near a supply of oxygen.
Chagrined and yet annoyed John snatched baby Darragh from his Mother's arms and marched across the ward to the window.
I have this vision like a replay from the scene from Roots (the television programme) of Kunta Kinte being held aloft to the sun by his Father.
In reality what happened was John held Darragh up to the moon and was tilting him to and fro trying to catch his face in the moonlight. Apart from the moment of his birth this is my first memory of Darragh. Close

a friend always was darragh  / Tanya Leach (from school )
i would'nt say i was exsactly friends with darragh but he was my friend in my own way
darragh could cheer up anyone that was down just by giving a perculiar frown
whenever i saw him he had a smile on him face and was always willing to take part in a sports day race
darragh was white styles lil' man and he would help a friend in a jam
rest in peace and dont show off too much up there i miss ya xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) Close

Memories / Sheila Brook ((Friend))
Memories - yes we all have them. Some make you laugh & some make you cry but where would we be without them.
For a couple of years in Darraghs short life I like to think I became close to him; no I'm not one of the family or a long lost auntie, just a friend.
He spent many days & nights at my house.
His brother Conor & himself shared a bedroom with my son Ryan.  Ryan got on very well with Darragh, as not only were they the same age they shared a passion for the playstation.  You should see the end of Ryan's bed it has Darragh's teeth marks all along the wood.
I remember having a day out at Arundel & having a game of putting, not sure who won but no doubt someone fiddled the score as I think one of the kids won.
My last memory of Darragh was in May this year when he took part in the cross country run for the school.   Him & Ryan were really laughing & they ran up to me to tell me what they were laughing about.... they even had me laughing.
I have many memories but these are just a few.
May you shine tonight & every night Darragh.
Myself, Hayley & Ryan have happy memories of you.
Love Always xx
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a golden memory  / Your Dad (guess)
i have been trying to think of a memory of dazmond that sums up some of his qualities,this is one of them,i will try to do it justice!
the school choir were giving a performance when daz was in year 5 or 6,that would have made him 9 or 10.there was a bench at the back of the stage on which stood 9 year 7 girls with darragh in the centre(shoulder high to the girls).in front stood 25 to 30 other members of the choir.
everyone was singing when daz caught my eye(i was standing at the back of the hall)and as was our game i started making him laugh!then something happened i will never forget!(to block me out)he shut his eyes,tilted his head back and went for it.
it was as if someone had twisted the volume control,i could actually hear his voice!i remember laughing as all the people on the bench and the ones in front turned to see who it was that was blasting out so many decibels!
the smallest one of all(dazmond the mighty)was totally lost in the moment oblivious to everyone around,singing for all he was worth!
as the goose pimples ran round my body a confusion of emotions ran through me.pleasure(seeing my son so obviously enjoying himself)pride(in his ability)astonishment(that the small boy i was watching was capable of producing that voice)and even a bit of jealousy,that someone should have that ability and the confidence to be able to throw his head back and sing to the heavens at the top of his voice!maybe this was his mistake,letting the angels know he had this gift.
after the show we were talking about his performance he said"i love singing like that,it feels good"even now when i think of that night,i may have a tear rolling down my cheek,but darragh,my darling, it still "feels good"i miss you boy,i will think of more moments and let you know!P.S.if anyone else has a memory of darragh they would like to share i would love to read it!thank you! Close