The Ultimate Home Run

A Big Thank you to the Mason Family and Friends

On a recent trip to Ireland, Peter McKenna, Claddagh Vice-chairperson, had the pleasure of meeting Kathleen Mason, the mother of Brian Mason. Brian (28) had been living in Perth for 3 years. He loved the outback and tragically died in WA in 2018 as he was travelling back to Perth from visiting a friend in Karratha. Brian was from Broadford, Co Clare and his family and friends there held a fundraising tractor run in his honour in November 2018. The incredible generosity of Brian’s community demonstrates the high esteem his family and friends had for him and how loved he was. The proceeds were divided between the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT) of Newry and The Claddagh Association of WA. The KBRT alleviates the financial hardship of bereaved families by repatriating the bodies of loved ones who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances. The Claddagh Association are honoured to work together with KBRT as part of our mission supporting members of the Irish community in WA in crisis situations. Peter thanked Kathleen for the very generous donation raised through the Brian Mason Memorial Tractor Run. He presented her with a card from The Claddagh Association which shared some of the ways those funds have been used to support other members of the Irish community in WA in circumstances of bereavement, visa issues, health problems, isolation and loneliness. Brian’s memory lives on in the work his family’s fundraising supports. If you, or anyone you know in the Irish community in WA needs support please contact Claddagh’s Coordinator Anne Wayne on (08) 9249 9213 or by email at admin@claddagh. org.au or call Claddagh’s crisis line on 0403 972 265.

Below: Brian Mason Memorial Tractor Run. Left: Peter McKenna with Kathleen Mason

The ultimate home run!

The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions put in place to help contain it have impacted all our lives in different ways. Here Perth solicitor, Catherine Lynch, with Cariad Legal, shares her family’s personal experience and the extraordinary lengths it took for them to be together during this incredible time. “I am pregnant and due to have our first baby in May,” said Catherine, who is married to Co. Meath native Damien Lynch. Damien has been working FIFO in Queensland for some time and was over east when the coronavirus crisis quickly started to unfold in March. “There was a lot of uncertainty for Damien and his colleagues as well as us with changing guidelines and everything else that was happening,” she added. “It was important that he kept working for as long as possible but we knew eventually the day would come when we’d have to make the call as to whether he would leave work to come home. The decision was particularly difficult because we knew that, once he left, he may not be able to get back for a significant length of time.” They were forced to make a decision when on Wednesday April 2 Premier Mark McGowan announced Western Australia’s border would be closed three days later. It was the first time in the history of the country that Western Australia closed the door to visitors from the other states. “We discovered that, even as a FIFO worker, Damien would not be exempt from quarantine requirements,” added Catherine. “We also discovered later that

Queensland blocked all interstate FIFO workers from entering their state.” Catherine said it wasn’t a simple matter of Damien just catching a flight back to Perth. “He has a truck with all of his tools and equipment needed to carry out his work. If he was leaving Queensland indefinitely, he needed his truck too. On the Friday (April 3), with the help of his colleagues, he got together all of the required paperwork, he packed his truck with enough barrels of diesel, water and food and set out on his epic fifty hour drive back to Perth. He needed to get back across the border before midnight on 5 April. This meant that he drove for three days straight, crossed the border and then drove another full day to make it home! He kept me and his family back home in Ireland updated through the family WhatsApp group. His cousins’ children were intrigued and followed the journey closely. Their parents used it as an opportunity for some geography lessons while homeschooling the children. The vastness of this country really is incredible.” Fortunately she said there weren’t too many delays or any real dramas along the gigantic journey across four states. “The first night he made it through some flooding in NSW just before the road was closed off,” Catherine added. “The following day, due to the large amount of water that he had driven through, he had to pull over and informed me that he had a quick lesson in ‘panic management and electrics’ while he dealt with an issue with the truck. Importantly, no animals were harmed along the way and the biggest concern of the South Australian border enforcement was whether or not he was carrying any tomatoes (he was, in a salad, and was told to make sure he ate them first!). The WA border, as expected, was the biggest hold-up and, even though the hard border restrictions hadn’t come into play, he was thoroughly questioned. His exemption from quarantine was granted on the grounds that he was needed to care for his heavily pregnant wife and his mother-in-law who had just that week had surgery for a broken hip.” Catherine said it meant everything to her to have her husband back home and she appreciated the effort and sacrifice he made. “Damien is very modest and feels that he really didn’t do anything special but I personally think that what he did in those four days is an amazing feat and makes me feel so proud,” she said. “It is hard knowing that he no longer has an income but such a relief to know that he will be here with me when I go into labour and when our baby finally arrives. No more concerns about the possibility of being in lockdown in Queensland and unable to get home or coming home only to be quarantined and unable to even drive me to the hospital. Damien sacrificed a lot by driving away from his only source of income but, at times like these, you realise that family has to come first, no matter the cost!” Left: Catherine Lynch, who is due to give birth in May. Below: Catherine and Damien on their wedding day. Top right: Damien’s truck at their home in Perth. Irish Scene - and no doubt many readers - will be wishing the Lynch family all the best with the new arrival when he or she comes.