The Late but Great RNB Darragh

This is a difficult one for me and it has taken me some time to come to terms with the greathole and loss in my life of my Dad Mr RNB Darragh.

Sadly he passed away after only 6 weeks of being very ill in hopsital just after his and mum’s Golden wedding anniversary. They were away and on their way to a concert At the Leeds stadium, when dad got severe pain and was rushed to LGI hospital, where he was found to have a split main artery. This is the main blood vessel from the top to the bottom of the body and it had split like a garden hose, so the blood was seeping out in to the inside of the viens and not to the organs. Towards the end he had paliative care (End of life care) to make the end more bearable.

Over the weeks I had time off work so that i could visit and help mum with everything it was very odd  and almost a dream to be visiting him and for him not to be at home. The nurses and Doctors at the hospital couldn;t have been nicer the way they cared for him, even the cleaning staff were understanding and nice.

Towards the end Dad was on enough pain killers to kill the average horse or the complete ward, well this is what his consultant said, whether true or not it was amazing to hear, especially when dad was in so much pain, the sort of pain that most of us could never imagine you could bare. The Consultant looking after Dad said that he had probably been in severe pain for the last few years and it had only got to this because his body couldnt take any more.

Dad was always a fighter, from the moment he dmaged his leg the lost part of it, to the times he always fought mine and mums corner right to the hilt, never backing down. I wasnt encourage to win all the time, but i was encouraged to do the right thing and always be true to yourself and enjoy what you do. These are the reasons I got in to R C cars, boats and collecting, Because of my dear old dad.

I miss Dad so much days are not the same and life isnt, but mum and I have strived through to have a different house, though somewhat smaller in some ways. But this is good I can show off my DIY skills, woodworking etc and mum has a clean slate for the garden to plant and llook after. We have brought this that remind us of Dad/Barney toys, sentimental stuff, cuttings from the plants at the old house plus cuttings from places that reminds us of Dad (LGI Hospital gardens!!). In alll of this upturn one of our older cats passed away and she is now buried in the garden of our new home.

Barney Darragh (Dad) was ana amazing bloke/chap/gentleman, he taught me alot about alot of things from models to life and I know im already missing him alot.

Barney (Dad)
Enjoying himself