'It's about remembering and celebrating Matthew': Grieving dad hosts memorial birthday fundraiser

Matthew's father James Healy, rear, with nephews Alex and Rhys Healy and niece Orla Healy at the Motorcycle and Vintage Car Run in memory of Matthew Healy, in aid of the Make A Wish Foundation at McCarthy Commercials, Watergrasshill, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

He is known by many for how he died — but his family want Ireland to know how much he lived during his short but fun-packed life.

On what should have been young Matthew Healy’s seventh birthday weekend, his grieving dad James brought family and friends together in Watergrasshill, Cork, on Sunday to celebrate his “little ladeen’s” life, to sing him 'Happy Birthday', to share fond and treasured memories of him with the country, and to raise money to make kids’ dreams come true.

Little Matthew was pronounced dead in hospital soon after he was found unresponsive in a car in Dunmore East, Waterford, about three months ago.  The tragic circumstances of his death made national headlines.

James said that, as Matthew’s birthday approached, he wanted to do something special in his name.

“It was about remembering and celebrating Matthew,” he said.

The reality is that he’s known by most people in this country for his terrible end, but that was only one day.

“For six years and nine months before that, everyone around here knew Matthew as a bright, bubbly ladeen who was full of fun, full of mischief and devilment, and who just wanted to get on.

“The whole country knows him for one reason, but it was very important for us that people got a vibe for Matthew, of how great a little character he was.” 

Matthew Healy was remembered 'as a bright, bubbly ladeen who was full of fun'. Picture: Family supplied

James organised a motorbike and vintage car run from Watergrasshill, with all the proceeds and donations going to the Make A Wish children’s charity — which has been granting life-changing wishes for children and families for over 40 years.

He jumped on his Honda Varadero and led a convoy of motorbikes and vintage cars on a loop to Rathcormac, Glenville, and back to Watergrasshill, where hundreds of family and friends gathered for music and fun in the Volvo garage car park, opposite James’s house where he and Matthew made so many memories together.

They cut a birthday cake, sang 'Happy Birthday', released balloons, and shared memories of happier times. By last night, they had raised almost €33,000.

James said: “Everyone came out strong for my little ladeen.

“It’s easy to lose faith in humanity in all of this, but Sunday was another significant reason to not lose that faith.

“It was hard and emotional, especially the last week, but in a very lovely way. People were great

“Matthew can have nothing in this life now but one thing he can do is give to others. 

"That’s the legacy for him now. And it’s the only thing I can do for him now.

“Maybe this money can make small lad somewhere else happy, have a bit of an adventure, so that at least there is some good to come from all of this.”

James also spoke of the difficult days and weeks after Matthew’s death and of how the kindnesses of so many friends and strangers have helped him through. 

Mike 'Elmo' Hurley from Youghal at the Motorcycle and Vintage Car Run in memory of Matthew Healy. Picture: Larry Cummins

He mentioned the gardaí from Fermoy who called to his house that dreadful night to break the awful news of his son's death, he recalled Matthew's teachers and classmates at Faithlegg National School in Waterford who met him a few weeks after the funeral to share their memories of Matthew’s time in senior infants, and he remembers the care and compassion shown to him by the mortuary staff, by the funeral directors, and by the staff at the crematorium.

Matthew's mother Ruth Purcell Healy, aged 37, of Williamstown, Waterford, has been charged with his murder.

James said he thinks often of the gardaí, the paramedics, and other first responders who found Matthew unresponsive in the car that night, and who tried desperately to save him.

“I have met some of the first responders since and I think it helped them. I know it helped me,” he said.

And he said he will never forget the support from the people of Watergrasshill, who helped him arrange Matthew’s funeral, and the local gardaí who allowed the family carry Matthew’s coffin through Main St to the church.

“I got to the end of the funeral with no regrets about the day," James said.

Frank O'Sullivan, Fermoy,  tries out a Honda Zoomer 'Ruckus' custom-build motorbike. Picture: Larry Cummins

He also revealed how he and Matthew had talked about restoring a Honda 50, and had looked at a few old bikes in the 18 months or so before his death, but never found the right one to buy.

“The plan was maybe when he was eight we would start restoring them. It would be a good little project that he would be able to learn about mechanics and putting in the work to get to an endpoint.

“It was going to be a little project for the two of us to do in tandem. We spent about a year or a year and a half looking for the right ones and we didn’t come across them at all.

“But didn’t I come across them last weekend. I bought the two of them and I am going to do his one for him.” 

• You can still donate to the Matthew Healy Memorial event here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/MatthewHealyMemorial