Mother of late Ewan MacIndoe issues powerful plea to look out for young people

The mother of a young Killarney man who died by suicide last month has issued a powerful, heartfelt plea to the local community to look after one another and cut young people more slack as they navigate life.

The sudden and unexpected passing of Ewan MacIndoe on May 27, at just 22 years of age, plunged the town into deep sadness.

A gifted all-round athlete, Ewan was a highly popular figure across local sporting fields, representing Killarney Celtic FC, Killarney Legion GAA Club, and Killarney Golf & Fishing Club.

He is deeply missed by his heartbroken parents, David and Louise, and his sister, Amber.

To mark the month’s mind of his passing, Louise MacIndoe has given the Killarney Advertiser permission to publish excerpts from the moving eulogy she delivered on the day of his funeral, sharing a vital message regarding how society treats its young population.

‘Cut them a little bit of slack’
In her address, Louise appealed directly to employers, parents, and the wider public to show greater patience, understanding, and positive encouragement to young adults.

“Please, please take care of our young men and ladies at home and at work,” Louise pleaded. “Cut them a little bit of slack. They are young, they are learning, and they will make mistakes. Please don’t penalise them so harshly. They will grow, they will learn. They just sometimes need a little bit of time and a lot of positive encouragement.”

Reflecting on Ewan’s 22 years, she noted that he packed a lifetime into those years and lived life to the absolute fullest. Despite facing numerous knockbacks, she recalled how resilient he remained, always trying to move forward in the hope that things would improve.

Addressing Ewan’s large circle of friends directly, Louise urged them to remain resilient during their grief.

“To Ewan’s friends, please stay strong,” she said. “Your best years are ahead of you. Even on the darkest days like today, please keep living and loving. Ewan would want you to, and we beg you to, too.”

Defining true happiness
Louise also spoke openly about the true meaning of happiness, rejecting materialistic milestones in favour of personal fulfilment.

She said that she and David raised their children to make their own decisions and to stand by them.

“Find your happiness, whatever that might be,” Louise urged the congregation. “Happiness comes from you as a person. No one can define it; it’s what is you.”

Members of the extended O’Connor family, neighbours, and friends gathered at the ancestral homestead of Fr Sean O’Connor O.S.A. at Doonasleen, Knocknagree, to celebrate his 100th birthday. Fr Sean travelled from the Augustinian Community at Abbeyside, Dungarvan, County Waterford, where he currently lives, to mark the milestone at his childhood home.

Fr Sean was born on 9 June 1926 alongside his twin sister, Peg. He grew up on a farm with his parents and six siblings, all of whom are now deceased. He was baptised in Kiskeam but his family regularly travelled to Sunday Mass in Knocknagree.

He attended the old two-story school in Knocknagree, where he was taught by Miss Dennehy, an educator he later honoured in a poem titled “My first Teacher”. He recalls encountering the blind fiddler Tom Billy Murphy on his school journeys, which helped foster a lifelong love of music inherited from his mother, Maggie Jones, who played the concertina.

Known as Jackie during his youth, he took the name John O’Connor when he moved to New Ross for his secondary education with the Augustinian Order in 1939. He made his simple profession on 24 September 1946 and was ordained a priest in Rome on 13 July 1952.

Shortly after his ordination, Fr Sean’s health failed when he contracted tuberculosis. He spent two years at St Mary’s Hospital in Phoenix Park, Dublin, which included nine months of complete bed rest and two chest operations. The surgeries resulted in the loss of seven ribs and the permanent collapse of most of his right lung. Due to his health, his lifelong ambition to join the foreign missions could not be realised.

Following his recovery, Fr Sean served in various religious appointments across Ireland and England, including Callan, Fethard, Dungarvan, Carlisle, Drogheda, Galway, and Ballyhaunis, before returning to Abbeyside. At his 98th birthday celebration in 2024, it was noted that he was the oldest serving Roman Catholic priest in Ireland and the UK.

For his centenary celebration, Fr Sean wore his priestly vestments to celebrate Holy Mass at an altar prepared in the sitting room at Doonasleen. A framed apostolic blessing from Pope Leo XIV, a fellow Augustinian priest, was displayed on a nearby table.

Due to poor weather and the large crowd, the gathering moved to the new Knocknagree Community Centre for a reception. A special photograph was taken on the day featuring Fr Sean alongside his six surviving first cousins.

As a dedicated Gaelic football follower, Fr Sean was presented with a custom Knocknagree GAA jersey featuring the number 100. He later wore the jersey at the local football grounds for photographs, on a day when Knocknagree secured a league win against Kilnamartyra.

The day concluded with a visit from the Bishop of Kerry, Ray Browne, who travelled to the ancestral home to congratulate Fr Sean. Fr Sean noted that it was a historic occasion, marking the first time a bishop had ever visited the townlands of Doon or Tureen.