Elber seeks positive legacy from deaths

Elber Twomey and the friends andfamily around her are determined not to let the memory of their loved ones fade.

This has fed a desire to make sure next week marks the beginning of a legacy to remember three lives lost in the summer of 2012 and allow others to benefit for years to come.

From the grief of 2012, Elber’s community in north Cork is now preparing to turn out in force for a series of commemorative events from June 6-8.

Elber lost husband Connie, son Oisín, and unborn daughter Elber Marie when their car was hit by a suicidal taxi driver during a holiday to Devon.

Polish national Marek Wojciechowski deliberately drove across the road and left Connie with no chance to avoid the impact.

Connie died of his injuries last year after 10 months in Cork University Hospital. Two months later, Elber began researching the little-addressed but all too frequent phenomenon that caused the crash.

This has already made politicians and influential bodies take note. “I don’t want anybody else to end up with my life,” she says.

As Elber studied best practice in police procedure for potentially suicidal drivers, she recognised there was a glaring gap in the training available to officers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Her campaign was recently highlighted by Cork coroner Myra Cullinane, who praised her “dignity and courage” following the inquest which had to be held into Connie’s death.

Dr Cullinane’s comments took Elber by surprise but she says she is grateful.

“I really felt her remarks just got what I am trying to do and really showed she cared,” she says.

During her comments, Dr Cullinane drew attention to the weekend that has been planned to remember the family.

It has come about after Connie’s family, Elber’s family, and their friends showed their determination to do what they could.

The first result of their endeavours is the Twomey Family Remorial Weekend, which looks set to transform the village of Meelin from June 6 — 8.

A fundraising cycle takes place on Sunday, June 8. A sponsored run has been organised for Saturday evening. There will be underage GAA blitzes, a table quiz and a football matches.

It will all get underway on the Friday night in the Hi-land, Newmarket, with musician Liam O’Connor returning home to bring his renowned show to a local audience. There will be special guests, including broadcasting legend Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

The funds raised by the enormous charity drive will go to support the three hospitals which cared for the Twomey family in Ireland and England and a number of suicide awareness and prevention charities.

This year, Elber has acted on her determination to affect change at home.

She emailed TDs setting out her case, and Fine Gael TD Michael Creed organised a meeting with Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

Fianna Fáil Niall Collins got a motion put to the floor of the party’s Ard Fheis. Elber has also met with the justice committees in Leinster House and won their backing.

She has got good support from the Road Safety Authority and says the gardaí have been very receptive to her lobbying.