Community rallies round mechanic whose workshop was gutted in fire
A local mechanic whose workshop was gutted in a fire last month says that he has been “overwhelmed” by the response to an online fundraiser set up by friends to help him get his business up and running again.
Enda Kilmurray had to endure the trauma of watching the Moyvore workshop built by his late father Tommy go up in flames after a car caught fire last month.
The blaze not only destroyed hundreds of thousands of euro worth of tools and machinery that had been accumulated by Tommy and Enda over the last 40 years, a number of vehicles that he had been working were also in the garage at the time.
To make a truly horrendous situation even worse, Enda says that his insurers refused to pay out due to what he describes as a “loophole”. This meant that not only was Enda left having to try and rebuild his workshop and get the costly tools and machinery needed to get up and running again, he also had to use up his family's savings to pay back the people whose cars were destroyed in the fire.
(Above) Enda Kilmurray.
“My dad started doing crash repairs there back in the '80s. He was first working out of a small shed and built that shed in 1990. It was a big workshop. What was in it, tools and machinery-wise at the time of the fire, to put it back to what it was would cost hundreds of thousands.
“There's all the memories down through the years with my dad. My dad passed away in June 2019. I was running things for the last four or five years. He didn't fully retire; he was one of them who would never fully retire.
"It's a lifetime's work gone up in smoke. Gone in a few hours. All the bits and pieces he had gathered up over the years. He would have started with nothing and bit by bit he built it up. I haven't even a screwdriver - everything is ruined.”
Martin Marshall, an old friend of Tommy, asked Enda if he could set up a fundraiser to help get him back on his feet again.
Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Enda said that he had to think about whether to accept Martin's kind offer.
“I was kind of unsure at the start, but he said that it's not begging, everyone needs a digout every now and then. He said you are in an awful situation here and people are good. They want to help out.”
At the time of writing, people had donated over €21,000. Enda says that he has been deeply heartened by the response from his colleagues in the motor trade who have donated thousands of euro. A number of businesses have also offered to assist in other ways.
“Every one of them have been brilliant. Criostoir Sleator rang me and said: 'Saturdays and Sundays if you have jobs to do, you can go and do them no problem'. Mullingar Autos did the same.”
Looking ahead, Enda hopes to rebuild the workshop and “bit by bit” build up his tools and machinery again.
The past few months have been challenging, but it has been made easier by the generosity of the many people who have made donations over the past two weeks.
“People have been unreal. It's been overwhelming to be honest,” he said.
Draw
Enda's childhood friend and neighbour Johnny Keegan is running a draw this Saturday night on his Facebook page at 9pm for people who have made donations. For every €10 that a person donates this week, they will be assigned a number and will be in with a chance to win an impressive array of prizes. Johnny says that the generosity shown by the local business community who have donated prizes have been fantastic.
Johnny posted the list of prizes on his Facebook page.
RAFFLE PRIZES!! PLEASE SHARE!
Prize 1: Any bouncy castle of your choice for the whole weekend of your choice!
Prize 2: 2 standing tickets to see Dermot Kennedy in London later this year!
Prize 3: Practically brand new I phone 8 from recharge it!
Prize 4: Brand new bed from alo gowrans in white or grey!
Prize 5: 50 euro voucher for aileen greens hair and beauty, a bottle of moet champagne and 50 euro voucher for 4 Star Pizza!
Prize 6: Gorgeous picnic basket from Buckleys: 3 bottles of white wine, a big bottle of prosecco, a skin cleansing hamper and 20 euro voucher for millies!
Prize 7: Gorgeous 2 seater garden bench made by Lee Stenson!
Prize number 8:brand new hedge trimmer donated by smyths hardware!
Prize number 9: 200 euro voucher for Swarbrigg Shoes and a bottle each of white and red wine!
Prize 10: 30 euro voucher for Lauren Leahy beauty salon, a gorgeous hamper from Whelans pharmacy, a Galway Crystal fruit bowl donated by Claire Kelly and a bottle of white wine!
Prize 11: Alcohol and chocolate hamper from the Old Stand and a 100 euro voucher for the Old Stand off license!
Prize 12: 4 pints and a bottle of cocktail of your choice from Columbia Bar and a 50 euro voucher for Apache Pizza!!
Prize 13: One night stay for 2 people in the Annebrook Hotel!
Prize 14 :A Nutri Bullet from Shaws and a 55 euro voucher for a cake by Jane's Kitchen!
If you would like to donate, please click here