<div>Hope at Home - A Charity Fun Day at the Lagoon, Termon in aid of Donegal Hospice and Donegal Cancer Flights and Services organised by Barry O’Donnell
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<div>Here’s a bit of Barry’s Background.
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<div>Barry O’Donnell's story is one of survival, resilience, and a life that came full circle. A story that began in Termon, a rural area in North West Donegal where he was born and raised, and later took him on an unexpected journey that would change his life forever.
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<div>Now 57 years old, Barry has spent the last 27 years in Armagh, but since the loss of his sister Deirdre to cancer in the autumn of 2022, he has found himself back in his native county and hometown, Termon, Co. Donegal. Little did he know that the death of his sister would spark a dramatic shift in his life.
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<div>“Losing Deirdre was a blow that I wasn’t prepared for,” Barry says. “I had been through so much already, but losing her sent me into a dark place. It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
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<div>Deirdre's death sent Barry into seclusion. He withdrew, venturing out only when absolutely necessary, always wearing a smile, a mask to hide a broken heart. The idea of an unhappy existence began to feel inevitable.
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<div>Yet, through it all, his belief in a higher power remained unshaken, and he found solace in seeing the good in people and the beauty around him. Slowly, his eyes began to open. It became okay to be sad, to mourn, and to grieve. It was the first glimmer of light in a long time.
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<div>“But even in those darkest moments, I never gave up. I had to find a way to heal, to find hope again,” he reflects.
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<div>But Barry’s story truly begins on May 22nd, 1995, aboard the Niamh Áine, a fishing vessel in Burtonport, Donegal. In the early hours of that fateful morning, Anthony Donaghy spotted a vessel ablaze. He immediately contacted Dungloe Fire Brigade, prompting a rapid and heroic response.
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<div>Firefighters Brendan Green and Patrick Boyle, equipped with breathing apparatus, faced unimaginable danger as they battled through thick smoke and 15 foot flames to rescue the two men trapped aboard the boat.
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<div>Despite the intense heat and life threatening conditions, both firemen risked their lives twice to drag the fishermen to safety. Charles Duggan, one of the survivors, made a full recovery after a stay in the hospital.
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<div>Barry, however, was not so fortunate. Suffering from 75% full thickness burns, Barry’s condition was critical. Nurse Audrey McCullagh and Dr. Peter Sweeney performed emergency procedures as he was transferred to the awaiting ambulance, where his heart stopped twice during the journey to Letterkenny General Hospital. Recognising him only by an earring, nurse Geraldine Gallagher attended to Barry’s fragile state as he was airlifted to St. James’s Hospital in Dublin for specialised burn treatment.
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<div>Barry spent weeks in a coma, his chances of survival given as less than 3%. Medical professionals calculated his odds based on his age (28) and the extent of his burns. After numerous surgeries and life saving procedures, Barry defied the odds and pulled through, but his recovery would take years. The next two and a half years were spent in and out of hospitals, undergoing extensive reconstruction treatments.
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<div>“It was a long road, but I never stopped fighting. I had people who believed in me, and I held on to that,” says Barry.
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<div>In 2021, Barry endured surgery for a severely damaged heel bone. That same week, his loyal dog, Rosco, passed away at the age of 15. The grief from these losses, coupled with the physical recovery from his surgery, left Barry with plenty of time to reflect on his life.
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<div>Being sober for several years, confusion again set in. He found himself contemplating life’s deeper meaning.
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<div>“As I looked back, I realised I had been given a second chance at life. It made me question how I was living it and how I could make a difference,” he says.
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<div>As the years passed, Barry went on to rebuild his life, but the scars from that fateful night remained with him. However, life had a way of throwing unexpected challenges his way, he had spent years battling addiction, working through the wreckage of his past, and coming to terms with the loss of so many loved ones.
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<div>In an unexpected encounter at a petrol station, Barry reconnected with Yvonne Mullen, a woman he had known for over two decades. Their renewed friendship became a beacon in his life, helping him emerge from the darkness and find excitement and joy once again. Their deep conversations sparked a new sense of purpose in Barry, and life once again became something to embrace.
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<div>“It’s the people we meet, the friendships we forge, that make life worth living. Yvonne showed me that even after everything I had been through, there was still hope,” Barry adds.
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<div>But it was the death of another family friend, Yvonne Murphy (née McGettigan), also from cancer, that changed Barry's perspective and passion for life. He attended her wake and funeral, and it was there, in the quiet solemnity of the graveyard on a beautiful day, that he realised just how important it was to celebrate life and honor those we’ve lost, rather than remain in the shadows of grief.
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<div>Three decades have now passed since that horrific night at Burtonport. The world has moved on, but Barry has returned to his home county, not as the man who nearly lost his life, but as someone who has found new meaning in living.
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<div>Barry’s purpose is different, to give back, to celebrate the lives of those he has lost, to honor the people who helped him through the darkest chapters of his life, and to show others that no matter how difficult life may seem, there is always hope.
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<div>In honor of those he lost and in gratitude for the life he has, Barry decided to do something remarkable. Instead of retreating into the past, he is planning a celebration of Hope at Home (Termon) Family Fun Day, an event that would allow him to give back and say thank you to the people who had supported him over the years, especially the emergency services, doctors, and nurses who had helped him survive.
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<div>A Celebration of Hope at Home (Termon) with Barry O’Donnell is taking place on July 12th, 2025, at the Lagoon, Termon.
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<div>The event will be a day of fun, music, and community spirit, Adrian Boyce and Ronnie O’Brien Memorial Tractor Run, leaving lagoon at 1pm sharp. Eddie Gallagher on Gig Rig from 3-4pm, David Craig Band on our Gig Rig 4pm - 6pm, Niall Doherty DJ on Gig Rig at 6pm and Music Afterwards at The Laggon, Termon, with all proceeds benefiting two very deserving causes, Donegal Hospice and Donegal Cancer Flights and Services.
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<div>100% of all donations received will be split equally between these two charities.
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<div>Barry hopes that through this event, he can raise much needed funds while honoring the memory of those who have passed.
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<div>Join Barry on July 12th and continue to honour the lives of those we have lost, while supporting two incredible charities that do life saving work in the community.
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<div>As Barry himself says, "Life is worth Living. Together we can make a Difference."
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<div>If you would like to donate, however small please click on the link below. Every cent is gratefully appreciated. Thank you.
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<div><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-at-the-port" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-at-the-port</a>
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Denis Sheridan

Mary Logue

Geraldine McGrane

William Sheridan

LAURA O BRIEN

Kevin McGettigan

Geraldine Gallagher

Anonymous

Sean Doherty

Steven Sheridan

Anthony Friel

Reeny McCarry Morell

James Mccarry

Joe McCarry

Patrick Keegan

Kate Findlater

Jan Perks

Ellen Keegan

Hope at Home Termon family fun day with Barry O’Donnell

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