By Andy Spearman
Today is Daffodil Day, one of the Irish Cancer Society’s biggest fundraisers. Only yesterday I and many others gathered at Watson’s Funeral Directors in Dyer Street to pay our respects to a dear friend, Martin Collins, who had fallen victim to the dreaded disease.
Martin was so full of life it came as an absolute shock when the news trickled out among his large network of friends last week that the doctors had given him only a few days to live.
The cancer, which he thought he had beaten before, had returned and this time the battle was very one-sided and the outcome inevitable.
Martin had many demons to deal with in his life but he understood well the value of friendship and I like to think that he found comfort in the fact that he had many people who he could call on in times of worry and self-doubt.
There were many times that he and I would talk together, over a pint or just out walking, and try to make sense of our lives. He was that rarity among men in that he was not afraid to talk about his emotions.
Martin was a really good plumber but somewhere along the line he developed a great love of the world of theatre and for acting. He craved a space bigger than that under the sink to express himself and his views on a world gone mad.
His impromptu performances of the works of Samuel Beckett and others, which could happen while sitting at a bar or while walking along the Boyne, were legendary. The one above took place in my office.
Anyone who was lucky enough to witness Martin play the butler in the Upstate Theatre production of ‘Come Forward to Meet You” at Oldbridge House some years ago will have no doubt that his was a great talent that sadly did not receive the audience he so deserved.
I cycled to Oldbridge this morning and memories came flooding back of a time when Martin and I were both going through upheaval in our lives and we would walk along the riverbank and share our woes.
Martin went to London where he joined a touring theatre company which he really enjoyed for a couple of years but sadly could not make a living from it.
Most of all Martin was a great friend. Just one example is that one day a couple of years ago he turned up at our front door to say that he’d come to service the boiler.
We hadn’t asked him to do that but he explained that he had a hospital appointment the following day and said something along the lines of: “Sure you never know what the outcome will be. I’ll get it done now just in case.”
As I returned from my cycle this morning I passed through West Street and there were people out collecting for Daffodil Day.
“This is the Irish Cancer Society’s most important Daffodil Day yet and we are asking Ireland to go all in to support cancer patients and their families” said Darragh Moriarty, the Irish Cancer Society Communications Officer.
“We have seen a surge in demand for our services with a 30% increase in the bookings for free drives to and from cancer appointments. Other services include our freephone Support Line, our free Night Nursing service, practical and financial support and free counselling, to name a few.
“We only receive 5% of our funding from Government and the rest is comes from and is powered by the generosity of the public. We want to be there to make sure nobody goes through cancer alone.”
If you weren’t in town today but would still like to make a donation you can do so at cancer.ie
