As we speak to Stephen, he’s about to settle down with his family to watch the Toy Show on RTÉ. On this family occasion, and many before it, Stephen’s family will welcome Lynn and her children – a family the DIY SOS team helped as part of The Big Build in 2022.
Her story is like many supported through the show. Lynn, the wife of Johnny Aylward and full-time carer to her son, applied to the show to secure an accessible, adapted home after Johnny’s motor neurone disease diagnosis. It’s a project close to Stephen’s heart.
“Johnny was incredible. He was a pleasure to be around, and so incredibly grateful for everything we did. We became very close friends with him and his whole family,” says Stephen.
Johnny sadly passed away in 2023.
DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland airs on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland’s national public broadcaster for radio, TV, and online content. Headed by Baz Ashmawy and his team, the show renovates the homes of deserving families, changing their lives forever. With only nine days to transform each home, the projects depend on the generosity of volunteers and firms like Kirby.
Stephen remains close to many of the families supported through the show, with some returning to help on subsequent builds; making coffee, painting, and giving back to the programme that has transformed lives across Ireland.
“The producers are choosing the families for next year. It’s a job I couldn’t do. I couldn’t bear to let people down if they aren’t picked,” he adds.
For Stephen, this is his fifth year supporting the show in his role with Kirby. He estimates he’s worked on more than 20 projects, with the support of volunteers, the Kirby team, the supply chain, and local suppliers.
“The volunteers amaze me,” he says. “They can be there from eight in the morning to well into the early hours and just keep going. Without them we simply couldn’t get the jobs done.”
“You meet the best, most kind-hearted people,” he adds.
Stephen wasn’t long into his journey with Kirby when the opportunity to get involved presented itself. Now he balances his time between the show and his role as Site Manager across projects in the West of Ireland, working from his home in Glinsk, County Galway.
“I am proud to be part of a company that does so much good.”
Kirby supports DIY SOS projects with the electrical works package, which can include anything from rewiring a home to installing complex home automation technology. The team has nine days to complete each project, but Stephen always returns in the weeks and months afterward to make sure everything is working as it should.
“Seeing the families again after the big reveal is one of the most rewarding parts of my role,” he explains. “Simple things become easier; things that we take for granted, like showering or getting in and out of bed. Before the show, simple tasks like these could take hours. DIY SOS transforms their lives and makes things that little bit easier in lives full of struggle.”
Earlier this year, another call came to Stephen. Through Kirby’s long-standing connection with the GAA, we heard about Joe Slattery, a young athlete from Co. Clare who sustained a life-changing injury while training at an U16 GAA session. Joe now requires lifelong care.
Stephen took up that call and is now coordinating and project managing the adaptation of Joe’s home in Corofin.
“Kirby, together with the wider community and our supply chain partners, is committed to ensuring Joe’s home meets his care needs so that funds raised can go directly toward his ongoing support,” says Stephen, who leads the project with support from our Executive Director, Mark Flanagan, and Group Operations Director, Mikey Ryan.
“We are currently ahead of schedule with this project. We want to hand the home back to the family before Joe’s 18th birthday in April.”
With home automation and voice activation, the latest technology will give Joe the ability to access the whole house with ease. ‘Joe’s area’ providing his own space – giving him independence.
Strength in the face of adversity is something that Stephen sees on every project. Julian Benson’s ‘Room to Improve’ special on RTÉ similarly called on our team to support the creation of Tranquility House, a “home away from home” for Irish cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and families needing treatment in Dublin. Kirby answered and led the electrical fit-out that transformed the Georgian House.
Stephen is not someone who sits still. He’s also coaching Kirby’s Inter-Firm GAA football team. “We have the semi-final after Christmas, with many of the young lads playing for us this year. We won the Junior All-Ireland last year, so there’s a lot of pressure to bring the cup home,” he laughs.
Playing in the team is Stephen’s son, who joined Kirby as an apprentice last year. “Kirby does so much good. A lot of it people never hear about. Kirby is like that; hardworking and dedicated, while giving back to the community in droves, whether that’s through training the next generation or through projects like DIY SOS. The team culture is like no other,” he concludes.
To watch the DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland back, tune in to the RTÉ Player to watch the latest episodes.
