‘My brother has no memories other than video’ – Firefighter shares heartache of losing dad in Wicklow fire
The Wicklow PeopleNineteen years after Bray firefighters Brian Murray and Mark O’Shaughnessy died tackling a blaze at a disused ink factory, Brian Murray’s son still carries the memory of his father with him, particularly the day it happened.
Brian Murray Jr has followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the fire service and is now campaigning for Bray Fire Station to become a full-time station.
But as the anniversary of the tragedy recently passed, he remembers not only the firefighter his father was, but the family man behind the uniform.
On September 26, 2007, the two firefighters died while fighting a fire at the former ink factory at Adelaide Villas in Bray.
For Brian Jr, the anniversary is a reminder of the father he remembers growing up with.
Brian Jr recalled his father as being much more than a firefighter, with family time spent watching movies and sport together.
“It would be family time that we used to have, watching movies or any sport,” Mr Murray said.
“I was recently watching a video of him watching my now 20-year-old brother, who was only nine months old at the time.”
He said it can be difficult to look back at those memories, particularly knowing that his younger brother has no memories of their father other than those captured on video.
His grandchildren just know him as a plaque on the wall or a statue down the town.
“I look at my brother now, and he has no memories other than video. It’s difficult to look at, but so nice to have. He was a real family man.”
Almost two decades on, Brian can still remember the day his father died with painful clarity.
“I remember I took that day off work. I was told by somebody that two firefighters were in trouble. I got a feeling in my gut.”
Mr Murray contacted the 999 watch room, where he was put through to an operator.
The operator then placed his hand over the receiver and said: “It’s Brian’s son, what will I say?”
Brian Murray and Mark O’Shaughnessy. © Shayne Phelan
“We got through the cordon. We could see the bodies on the road, but my father was dead.”
The loss of his father has left Mr Murray with what he describes as an “internal sadness”.
He pointed to the great sporting moments in recent times that his father missed watching with him.
“Troy Parrott’s goal, Katie Taylor’s last ring walk, alongside birthdays, grandchildren,” he said.
“His grandchildren just know him as a plaque on the wall or a statue down the town.”
Bray currently operates as a retained fire service, with firefighters responding to emergencies when called.
In his role as a SIPTU representative, Brian Jr has been campaigning for the station to become full-time, arguing that the demands on the service have grown significantly.
Tánaiste Simon Harris has recently backed this campaign.
“We had a meeting recently with Mr Harris’s office. He has given us his backing. We are closer to a full-time brigade than we have ever been,” Mr Murray said.
He feels the lack of a full-time service contributed to the events that led to his father’s death.
In 2013, Wicklow County Council faced trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court over alleged health and safety breaches relating to the deaths of Brian Murray and Mark O’Shaughnessy.
The council initially faced four charges under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, relating to the period between September 2005 and the day of the fire in September 2007.
During the trial, the council pleaded guilty to three charges, including failing to ensure the safety of its employees, failing to update its safety statement and failing to provide adequate training.
Wicklow County Council was fined €355,000 and ordered to pay almost €96,000 in legal costs over the health and safety breaches.
An inquest into the deaths later heard evidence about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
In May 2014, after 17 days of evidence, the jury returned narrative verdicts.
They found that factors contributing to the circumstances of the deaths included failures to maintain vital communications systems at Bray and Greystones fire stations.
They also found a lack of specific instructions for firefighters and a failure to provide appropriate training in the use of a new compressed air foam system.
The jury also noted a shortage of qualified drivers available to the Bray fire service on the day.
Mr Murray said the fire service has undergone significant changes since the tragedy.
“We have been brought forward from an equipment point of view, training, but the issue is turning out to the station.”
He said firefighters are receiving high-calibre training, but can still be behind the times when it comes to responding due to their retained status.
Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Brian jr said: “Family, friend, then firefighter, but he will always be remembered as a firefighter. People don’t see the human side of it.
“We grew up in the 80s. There was no money, but we were always happy, and he always made the best of the odds. The odds were always stacked against us, but he kept on fighting.”
Almost all of Brian Murray’s 15 children have gone on to become involved in public service, including the Army and Coast Guard.