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Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Inspirational Kerry teenager Donal Walsh remembered at 6km fundraising run in his honour
Donal passed away on May 12, 2013, just one month shy of his 17th birthday. He had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, also known as bone cancer when he was just 12 years old. When he was 16, he gained nationwide attention when, in an interview on Brendan O'Connor's The Saturday Night Show on RTÉ, he became angry at the issue of suicide amongst young people. He said that he struggled to understand how other young people could choose to end their lives when his was being taken away from him without a choice. Donal, who had already endured cancer twice, had been diagnosed a third time and told that his condition was terminal. Donal used his profile to raise awareness of the conditions sick children and their families were experiencing in Crumlin Children's Hospital. He managed to raise €50,000 for the hospital. After his death, his parents, Fionnbar and Elma, set up the Donal Walsh #LiveLife Foundation in his honour to help promote Donal's anti-suicide message. Incredibly, despite the weather's recent return to wet and windy, Sunday's run avoided any rain whatsoever, the 11th year in a row that the run has not been rained on. Donal's dad, Fionnbar, told The Kerryman that the run most definitely has something looking down on it to protect it from the rain. "You can probably guess who that person is!' he laughed, adding that the run has always proved to be a huge success. "I'd say that we had over 500 people there on the day. People were able to walk it or run it and the atmosphere was fantastic as always,' he continued. The main highlight of the day was of course the looped 6km run that started and finished at the school. First home in the men's section of the run was past pupil Billy Naughton with Martin Ahern and David Chute a close second and third. Local triathlete, Ciara Tierney meanwhile scooped first place in the ladies section closely followed by past pupils Evie O'Sullivan and Anna Chute. Other highlights on the day included a great food court organised by the Parent's Association while local musician Ian O'Doherty and street performer Ronaldo Fanzini were also on hand to provide great entertainment throughout the morning and afternoon.
Irish Examiner
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Pope Leo XIV made Kerry teen Donal Walsh honorary Augustinian before his death in 2013
Pope Leo XIV made a Kerry teen an 'honorary Augustinian' before he died after battling cancer in 2013. Donal Walsh was 12 years old when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. While battling a terminal diagnosis, Donal wrote a letter condemning teenage suicide and encouraging others to appreciate life. Following the letter, he made an appearance on The Saturday Night Show in April 2013. Two days before his death, the teen was given the title of Honorary Augustinian by Fr Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, who was elected as the 267th pope. Donal's mother, Elma, explained that the newly elected pope got involved after his uncle, Fr Michael Walsh, who had been an Augustinian priest in Nigeria for 35 years, saw the impact the message he shared on the show had on the Irish public. "He thought something should be done, so he wrote to his Provincial, who at the time was Bob Prevost — and now Pope Leo XIV," Ms Walsh told RTÉ. "He asked him to acknowledge it. Now-Pope Leo made Donal an associate member of the Augustinians, which means that Donal is remembered in all the Augustinian Masses." Ms Walsh added: 'He was aware of it. It was a day or two before he died. He was upstairs in bed at the time. He was very happy that he would be associated with his uncle Michael—no doubt about that.' His mum added at the time, 'I'm taking no vow.' Even though he was only 16, his mum said he was fully aware that he was dying. 'He was close to God and he didn't have any fear of dying. The only fear he had was the transition.' Donal was sworn in on May 10, 2013, just two days before he passed away. Ms Walsh said the family was driving down from Knock when they heard Pope Leo XIV — "who looks like a lovely man,' she said — had been elected last week.
Irish Independent
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
How Pope Leo XIV made Kerry teenager Donal Walsh an honorary Augustinian two days before his death
Fr Robert Prevost, who was then prior general of the religious order, swore Donal in as an honorary lay Augustinian on this day, May 10, 12 years ago. Donal died on May 12, 2013, just one month shy of his 17th birthday. He had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, also known as bone cancer, when he was just 12 years old. When he was 16, the eloquent young man, who had a profound Catholic faith, became angry at the issue of teenage suicide in Co Kerry. Donal, who had already endured cancer twice, had been diagnosed a third time and told that his condition was terminal. He struggled to understand how other young people could choose to end their lives. He wrote a piece with the intention of it being read to his classmates at the CBS he attended in Tralee after he passed away. 'I realised that I was fighting for my life for the third time in four years and this time I have no hope,' the letter read. He closed the letter by explaining, growing up in Kerry, he lived in a part of the world 'that is surrounded by mountains. I can't turn my head without finding a bloody hill or mountain and I suppose those were God's plans for me. To have me grow up around mountains and grow [up] climbing a few too. And that's exactly what I've done, I may have grown up in body around them but I've fully grown and matured in mind climbing His mountains.' After he won a local award, the Kerry's Eye newspaper had asked if Donal had any other writing that he would like to share. The letter was published in the newspaper, and Donal rose to national prominence. He appeared on Brendan O'Connor 's The Saturday Night Show on RTÉ, and spoke about how his faith had guided him through his terminal diagnosis. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I wouldn't be where I am without it. I see God has given me this challenge, but I may be used as a symbol for other people to appreciate life more,' Donal said. 'If I'm meant to be a symbol for people to appreciate life, it mightn't just be suicide in particular, but just to appreciate life more, then I'll be happy to die if that's what I'm dying for.' Donal also used his profile to raise awareness of the conditions sick children and their families were experiencing in Crumlin Children's Hospital. He managed to raise €50,000 for the hospital. He also wrote an article for the Sunday Independent detailing his life and his experiences. He wrote: 'Some days I would wake up and I could easily appreciate the beauty of the world that I was leaving behind, although it does make me upset that I will never get to experience the feeling of living that I had on the bike or in the gym, or that I will never get to see my sister walk up the aisle next to the love of her life, or that I will never get to travel the world and see places like New Zealand, Asia or America, or that I won't get the chance to see my four best friends do as good in life as I know they will. 'But I have to remember that God is using me; whether He is using me as a symbol for people to appreciate life more or whether His first two mountains weren't high enough for me, all I know is that I am walking with Him even though it is along His path.' Donal's uncle, Fr Michael Walsh, happened to be an Augustinian priest. Fr Walsh showed a copy of the Sunday Independent to his then prior general, Fr Robert Prevost. Fr Prevost, the would-be Pope, was so impressed with Donal's article that he agreed to make him an honorary Augustinian. He wrote to Donal to offer him the honorary recognition. Donal accepted and was sworn in two days before he died. Each May, Donal's proud family hold an event in his honour at Knock Shrine. 'Donal Walsh Day', one of the largest annual youth faith events in Europe, is always held the Thursday closest to Donal's anniversary on May 12. So by chance, his parents, Fionnbar and Elma Walsh, were in Knock celebrating their son's memory the day that the Pope was elected. 'My brother was home for Donal's Day and he said to me 'you know, Fr Prevost could actually be in contention',' Mr Walsh told the Irish Independent. 'I said 'hardly, he's American'. 'It was just so surprising that the same person who wrote that letter to Donal is now the Pope. It's just so nice, it's another connection to Donal. I think Donal would be very proud.' Faith has been very important to the Walsh family throughout their lives and since Donal's passing. For Christmas 2013, the family felt overwhelmed by the number of well wishers who were visiting and calling in. They travelled to Rome for that first Christmas, and were in the Vatican for Pope Francis's first Christmas celebration. 'We would have had a strong faith throughout [Donal's illness] I would have [been] bartering with God at the beginning. You know, 'if you give it to me, I'll take it, why pick on a child?'' Mr Walsh said. But Donal's grace would often take them aback. 'When he started out the journey, he started out saying 'why me?' And you couldn't answer it,' Mr Walsh said. ' 'But at the end of it, we were asking the question, 'why us? Why was he being taken from us?' He would just turn around and he'd say, 'why not me?'' If you have been affected by issues raised in an article on see here for helplines and support services.
