THE CAST STONE: Fitting fundraiser in memory of one of Mayo’s finest

ON a chilly night in 1928, Irving Berlin sat in his New York apartment and penned a song that caught my attention this morning as I looked for words to recall a man who is still making an impact even though he’s no longer with us.
That 1928 ditty was called ‘The Song Is Ended But The Melody Lingers On’, and that phrase fits perfectly into the space occupied in many minds by the late John (Zulu) Moore. The flame-haired husband and father from Kilmeena passed away in the opening moments of 2023 and left a treaure-trove of memories behind him.
Now, his wife, Norah, and daughter, Patricia, are hoping to raise funds to provide defibrillators and signage along the greenway between Westport and Newport.
Defibrillators (AEDs) are devices that apply an electric charge or current to the heart in order to restore a normal heartbeat. If the heart beat stops due to cardiac arrest, also known as sudden cardiac arrest, a defibrillator may help it start beating again. 
Statistics often make interesting reading, and in this instance, they really bring home the importance of doing all we can to reduce preventable deaths. During 2021 in Ireland, a staggering total of 2,906 people suffered a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. Three quarters of these happened in the home.
Ireland’s bystander CPR rates – where a cardiac arrest patient receives immediate help from a member of the public before an emergency team arrives – is 85 percent. However, less than 7 percent of the public who respond to a cardiac arrest are getting defibrillators onto the patient’s chests before first responders or an ambulance arrive.
“Your chances of survival rise by 48 percent once an AED is used on you,” said Brigid Sinnott, Chairperson of Restart a Heart Group, and Resuscitation Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation.
So, getting quicker, better access to defibrillators will save hundreds of lives every single year. 
At the moment, the number of defibrillators in Mayo is growing impressively and almost every community has access to one, but do we actually know where they are and how we can get to them when immersed in the panic of life-or-death moments?
Many of us don’t, and therefore, Norah and Patricia Moore not only want to install defibrillators along the Greenway running through Kilmeena, they also want people to know that they are there. 
John would certainly have approved of their tireless quest. When he got involved in something he was all-in, whether it was family, farming, football or developing his famed Buckfield Limousin Herd of cattle.
He was humorous, passionate, determined and wore his heart on his sleeve. He passed away very unexpectedly on January 1, 2023, and his death stunned all fortunate enough to have spent any time in his company.
Of course, Norah, Patricia, and all of John’s family and friends were shocked to the core, as were numerous people across Ireland, Britain and many other corners of the planet. John had made a battalion of forever-friends when he lived and worked in London, and he made sparkling memories in the green and gold jersey of Dr Crokes football team in Hertfordshire.
He also proudly wore the black and white of Kilmeena and was a passionate Mayo supporter. He lived life to the full and laughed heartily every chance he got. 
John Moore’s song might be over, but his melody lingers on, and the life-saving defibrillators placed along the greenway in his memory will ensure his name and memory never die. John made a lasting impression on all who met him, and in the coming months and years, his defibrillators will undoubtedly have a positive impact on many more.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the fundraiser can do so by donating to the Permanenet TSB account ‘John Moore Fundraiser’, IBAN IE70IPBS99078735852491. Alternatively, donations can be made on the ‘Help Us Save Lives in Memory of John Moore’ page on gofundme.com.