Conor Brady, a young Sligo man based in Washington, D.C. who died tragically in Las Vegas last weekend, was deeply involved in the Irish undocumented issue and helped organize a major fundraiser set for this weekend in Virginia.
Organizers said the fundraiser would go ahead as a tribute to Brady, and added that helping the Irish undocumented was one of his major objectives in America.
Brady, 24, from Skreen, Co. Sligo, was working with the Irish Dairy Board as a marketing executive and had a bright business future ahead of him.
He died after a fall in Las Vegas where he had gone for the weekend with six friends from Ireland.
He was found in the loading dock of the Hard Rock Hotel at 7:35 am on Saturday morning and was pronounced dead by medics.
Police say no foul play was involved. His body was held for autopsy to discover the cause of death.
His friends were not with him at the time of the fall and were deeply upset. They were returning home to Ireland on Thursday. No funeral arrangements can be made until the Las Vegas Medical Examiner releases the body.
Brady had helped organize an Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) Republican Party event attended by former vice presidential candidate Congressman Paul Ryan in Washington in September, and had supplied all the Irish produce.
Ciaran Staunton, president of ILIR, remembered a bright young man very keen to help.
“He was wonderful helping organize the GOP breakfast and he knew all the major politicians we needed to reach. He had played a major role in setting up our upcoming Virginia event,” Staunton said.
Local Sligo politician Michael Clarke said friends who traveled with Brady to Las Vegas, including Clarke’s nephew, are devastated.
“They’re in absolute bits, and I mean shattered. They’re barely fit to talk and it’s worse that they’re so far away and we can’t comfort them,” Clarke told the Irish Mirror.
“All our hearts are broken because Conor really was a very popular young man.”
On his Twitter page (@conobhradaigh), Brady had described himself as an “Irish lad living in D.C., huge fan of all codes of sport. I have been known to enjoy a few beers at the weekend and have the craic.”
On October 29 he tweeted, “Picking up some panache for the Vegas weekend.”
His Twitter picture shows a handsome young man smoking a cigar while gazing out on water.
In his home county of Sligo and in the tiny townland of Skreen the former GAA star was deeply mourned.
He is survived by his mother Maureen, father Peter and younger brother and sister, Donal and Shauna. A family member was en route to the U.S. on Tuesday.
It turns out Brady’s death is the second casualty in to devastate Skreen in recent months.
Gary Feeney from nearby Templeboy died in a construction accident near Saratoga Springs, NY earlier this year when a pipe fell on him as it was being unloaded from a trailer.
Brady’s uncle was also tragically killed in a drowning accident 28 years ago at age 22 just before he was due to return home from Australia.
Clarke said Brady was “a distinguished football and rugby player" and extended his sympathies to his family.
“This is too much grief for any community to bear and to lose two young men in such a short space of time is simply devastating,” Clarke added.
“Of course this will bring back a lot of pain for Gary’s family but everyone is just trying to rally now to support Conor’s family as they wait to get his body home.
“His parents are trying to be strong but this is so tough for them all, especially since Conor’s uncle also died tragically abroad.
“They’re hoping to have his body home at the weekend but it’s difficult to get information and right now they’re still trying to find out exactly how he died.
“Even the boys who were with him don’t know.”
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