TERESA Braddish is convinced her young son was up to no good when he died in mysterious circumstances 16 months ago. In the quiet village of Askeaton, west Limerick, rumours abound about his death.
Some say he was involved in running arms, others suggest he was smuggling drugs when he drowned. Teresa Braddish is not afraid of the truth - she just wants to know why her only son died.
Almost a year to the day later, Teresa buried her husband Austin. She blames the stress and mystery surrounding her son's death for the death of her husband. As long as it continues, she says, she and her two young daughters will not be able to live in peace.
The body of Gerard Braddish (23) was pulled from the River Deel near his home in Askeaton on November 22nd, 1994. His anorak, glasses and wallet, with £25 inside, were found on a boat moored at New Quay a day earlier. A boat alongside was found upturned.
Few believe Gerard Braddish took his own life, certainly not his mother who says her eldest child had a future mapped out for himself and everything to look forward to.
A week before he disappeared, however, Gerard had gone missing for a night. He returned home on his bike the following afternoon, his jeans drenched from the knees down. When his mother asked where he had been, he said he had gone to Listowel with his friends. He lied. To this day, she does not know where he spent the night.
On the evening before he died, Gerard was spotted talking to a man in a white car a short distance from his home. Mrs Braddish is now appealing to the man to come forward. She believes he may be able to throw light on her son's death.
She has also heard that her son was at a disco on Sunday, October 30th, in the Shannon House in Foynes and is asking anyone who may have seen him there to contact the family.
A major Garda investigation was launched following the death. A number of people were questioned but no charges were brought. According to gardai, the death of Gerard Braddish in the early hours of Sunday morning, November 13th, 1994, remains a mystery.
Gerard Braddish was a quiet young man who kept to himself. He worked hard during the week and on Saturday nights he hit the town, but never very hard. He went for a few drinks with friends to the local pub, sometimes going to a disco in Newcastle West for a few more. He was never particularly interested in women, says his mother, and was quite shy in that regard.
The Saturday before he died, the 23 year old had gone to an auctioneers in Limerick to pick up brochures about houses on sale in the city. He had £9,000 saved and had already bought a site in Adare but was refused planning permission. He then decided to buy a house in the city.
"He was very sensible, even cagey with his money," says his mother. He shopped twice a year, once at Christmas, once in the summer. That Saturday he made an exception and bought a new pair of black shoes in Limerick, only because his old ones were beyond use.
Alter doing the Inter Cert, Gerard left school and trained with AnCO as a carpenter. He worked with his uncle but eventually got tired of the muck and dirt, says his mother. When a job came up for a machinist in the local baby food factory he took it. He started in Whytes six weeks before he died. "He was delighted with himself," she says.
"There was no change in him on that Saturday whatsoever. If there was I would only be too delighted to say so. The only things he was bothered about were that he was not doing any overtime that weekend and that he was on emergency tax at the factory but he had got a neighbour to sort that out. He loved money", she says bluntly, "even as a child."
He returned from Limerick at about 5 p.m. that evening, went down to the village to buy a Lotto ticket and returned home for his supper. He had a bath, changed into his best mustard shirt and check trousers and headed for Mass.
A hundred yards from the house, he was seen talking to a man in a white car. It was facing the road to Ballysteen, a village two miles away. After a brief conversation, he continued on his way.
After Mass, he went for a few pints in Delaney's pub with friends. They later moved to the Tops of the Town Bar. His friends went on to the disco in nearby Newcastle West but he decided not to. He returned to Delaney's at about 11.15 p.m. Much later, he was seen standing across from the local supermarket. It looked as if he was waiting for a lift. What happened after that remains a mystery.
Life ever since has been a nightmare for his family. In the small village of Askeaton, rumours about what he was doing at the river that night are rife. It was out of his way and, according to his family, Gerard hated water.
Close to the mouth of the Shannon and the port of Foynes where ships come from all over the world, many believe he was involved in smuggling. His mother is sure he was "up to no good". She is also convinced he was not", alone.
"Gerard never gave us any trouble since the day he was born, never until the day he died. He had a bit off temper and would argue with his sisters like every other child. But it was nothing really, they were very close."
"He wouldn't even raid an orchard, like most young fellas, he just wasn't into that. He was quite a deep lad, quite a loner. Gerard would never tell you much."
"He would sing Sean South of Garryowen but he didn't hold any strong political views. If he was involved with the IRA, I don't think I would be looking for an answer today," she says.
"After his death, we tore his room asunder but found nothing that would give us a clue. This is the agonising thing about it. It is like a long playing record in this house, we are all asking why, why, why?
"Gerard's name has been brought down, we have all been brought down with it. If we only knew why, we could forgive him for causing this terrible trouble.
"I believe he was roped into doing a job on the river. We feel ourselves someone asked him, someone he knew and trusted. What the job was we don't know. But I am determined to get to the bottom of it," says Teresa.
"We reared our children to the best of our ability but he wasn't up to anything good that night. I know nothing will bring him back. All I want is to know what he was doing there, who he was with and what they did to try and save him, to take us out of this agony we are in.