@Sarah977
Thank you Sarah. I guess many would say that the couple who died in the Airbnb weren't Airbnb's responsibility, which to an extent, is true, but neither was my brother Acer's responsibility. That didn't stop them from being compassionate human beings and making it their responsibility though.
I don't usually speak about private stuff online but I think you might enjoy this story. Derek loved his sport, especially Gaelic football, and he missed that more than anything when he was away from home. In those days, Gaelic football - understandably! - was unheard of in Asia. So he and a couple of his friends started a Gaelic club in Taipei - Taiwan Celts.
Within weeks, locals who had never seen such a game, were turning up to watch the boys training, and before long, they were joining in themselves. All of a sudden, half of Taipei wanted to play Gaelic football!
Seeing the massive interest in the game, Derek had a brainwave. He got in touch with other young Irish ex-pats working in different countries all over Asia, and asked them if they were interested in playing a tournament. Even though none of them were playing Gaelic out there, and they all had to form ad-hoc teams just like Taiwan Celts had done, with half the players never having kicked a ball in their lives before, they were all well up for it (and all had to have the proper footballs sent out to them from Ireland - the Post Office must have been wondering what on earth was going on that summer with all the gaelic balls being posted to all these Asian countries!)
There happened to be some sort of trade fair taking place in Taipei around that time, which representatives from Guinness attending, so Derek and his two friends put on their best (only!) suits and rocked up to the event. Needless to say, they were refused entry but they hung out in the hotel bar until it was over, on the off-chance the delegates would turn up there eventually. Which they did. And by the time the boys left the bar late that night, they had somehow managed to secure sponsorship from Guinness for their first ever Guinness Asian Gaelic Games tournament, to be held in Manila a few months later, with teams from all over Asia competing, made up of players (and ĺearners!), guys and girls, of every size, shape, age, creed, race and colour from all over the world.
From all accounts, the inaugural GAGG event was a legendary affair, with equal amounts of fun and games being had in the bar, and on the pitch. People still talk about it to this day. Derek only ever got to play in that first tournament before he left us, but it's still going strong now, although it's known as the Fexco Asian Games these days, with a lot more professional involvement and a streamlined structure. A far cry from the raggle-taggle, make-it-up-as-you-go-along gig it started out as 23 years ago. And a lot less fun too, I'd imagine 🙂
But Derek's name still lives on in Asia. The winners of the Asian Games are presented with the Derek Brady Cup, which they get to keep for the year before passing it on to the winning team the following year. There are teams from Africa and the Middle East playing now too, and South Africa were the victors in 2018, in Bangkok. (Venue changes from year to year)
Travel and football were my brother's two greatest passions - even though he was only 22, he'd already visited many different countries, and planned to visit many more. So there's a sweet kind of comfort in knowing that a Gaelic football trophy with Derek's name on it, for his beloved game that he helped introduce to an entire continent, travels from country to country every year, and takes his legacy to all the places he never got to visit himself. Perfect, really. I'm sure he gets a great kick out of that, wherever he is now... 😉
https://nialljoreilly.com/2008/09/28/asia-gaelic-games-manila-1997-koreas-kimchi-kickers/
http://www.taiwancelts.com/about-the-club/history/