Brave three year old is an honorary boy in blue!

BALLINASLOE Gardaí have a new boy in blue – and he might be the bravest, not to mention the youngest, member of the force yet!

Last week Aidan Kenny, who turned three on Monday, was signed up as an honorary policeman by his friend and serving member of the force, Garda Andrew O’Hara.

Aidan is already quite the hero around Ballinasloe for the battling qualities he has shown since he was diagnosed with an incurable and debilitating illness – and now he’s spoilt for choices when it comes to his career!

“We made him an honorary Garda, but Engineers Ireland got there ahead of us, to present him with a special award – through their STEPS programme – in honour of his curious mind and his bravery. He is now the youngest engineer in Ireland,” revealed Andrew.

The first award was down to the fact that Aidan’s dad Seán is a civil engineer by profession, and he is also a life-long friend of Andrew’s, since the pair met in school in Garbally College.

“We go back for years but I’d also be a good friend of the family, and you can only admire how they are coping with this – and how brave Aidan is,” he said.

Andrew isn’t the only one so impressed with the three year old’s courage, because a GoFundMe page called All for Aidan – set up to help pay for his medical and care costs – has already attracted tens of thousands of euro.

Fundraisers have taken place across the country, organised by people inspired by the boy’s story and fight.

The awful reality of his situation was brought home by his dad Seán this week, as the family celebrated Aidan’s third birthday on Monday.

“This time last year, when Aidan was two, he got a toy tractor and he loved it; there wasn’t a loss on him,” he says.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the digital edition by going to www.connachttribune.ie And you can donate to All for Aidan on the GoFundMe website.