Co Antrim school set up legacy fund to remember much loved teacher

co antrim school set up legacy fund to remember much loved teacher

St Patrick’s College are hoping to raise £10,000 in memory of Aidan Walsh

A Co Antrim school have set up a fund to raise money in memory of a much loved teacher one year on from his tragic death.

Aidan Walsh taught at St Patrick’s College in Ballymena where he died suddenly last year following a football match.

The school hopes to raise enough money to refurbish their gym, which they plan on renaming in his memory, and also donate to the Air Ambulance who assisted when Aidan took unwell.

Speaking to Belfast Live, fellow teacher Paul Gribbin said that Aidan was popular with both staff and students.

“Aidan was an absolute gentleman and he was universally popular in our school among staff and students. Myself and Aidan took the football and Gaelic teams for years and he was always a really good guy to work with,” he said.

“He had organised a wee five-a-side tournament on the last day of term last year and the pupils were in watching the game. The teachers had just won the game and Aidan had just lifted the cup when it happened.

“As you can imagine, it hit us like a tonne of bricks because he was an unbelievably fit guy so the shock was incredible. It was one of those things that nobody seen coming and was just so unexpected.”

Paul described Aidan as a “gym bunny” and said that renaming the school gym would be the perfect way to remember him.

“It has been a very hard year for us and we can only imagine what it has been like for his family, his wife and children. We are a very tight school here and support has been put in place but we just felt that this would be the best way to remember him and do something positive.

“Aidan would have loved to have a gym in the school so we thought this would be the best thing to do.”

The school have set a fundraising target of £10,000 and are planning on donating some of the money raised to the Air Ambulance.

“The Air Ambulance came to Aidan’s assistance on the day and we held a small fundraiser for them last year. The more money we raise, the better we can make the gym and the more we can donate to the Air Ambulance.”

To donate to the school’s fundraiser, visit their GoFundMe here..

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