Donegal and Irish sporting legend Shay Given has spoken openly about the recent loss of his brother in a revealing interview.
He appeared on the Tommy Tiernan Show last night.
Shay spoke openly about the death of his brother Kieran, who passed away late last year at his home in Germany after a battle with illness.
He spoke fondly of a surprise visit for Kieran and his family back to Donegal, after he had been receiving treatment in Manchester.
They made a quick decision that, instead of getting the flight home to Germany, the family was able to spend several days travelling around the county for one last time.
“There was kind of a realisation that that was going to be the last time (going) to Manchester so then we made a decision as a family – we should go back to Donegal.”
“He was supposed to fly back to Germany… but we said no, we’re going to Donegal.”
Shay also said he and his extended family knew this might be Kieran’s last trip home.
“We all had three or four days in Donegal, going around the beaches and just having meals, and it was a really – no one said it, but at the time we all knew, this is his last trip home.”
The former Ireland Goalkeeper also talked of the inspiration his brother’s strong religious beliefs gave him before his passing.
“He had a really strong belief in his religion, and he believed he was going home (and that his life) was just going to begin in the next life.”
“He had really strong beliefs, a lot stronger than me, and you sort of look back and think well if he’s in that sort of mindset maybe I need to go back into it a bit more.”
Shay also mentioned the toll it took on the family when his uncle also passed away, just two days after Kieran’s passing.
“For my dad again, who’s going to be 80 this year… it’s a tough one on him, because he thought he was reliving the whole (ordeal) of losing my mum…. it’s always (the feeling of) the child shouldn’t go before the parent.”
“It was a tough couple of days for us all, but my dad especially I think… the following week we had two funerals in three days.”
