A musical Moy mum has organised a very special festival in memory of her “precious” baby girl who died suddenly, aged just four-and-a-half months.
Proud mum-of-two, singer and musician, Brianna Mallon has for the last few months been busily laying the foundations for Eadie’s Echo Music Festival in memory of her beautiful daughter, Eadie who tragically died as a result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) on November 1, 2024.
The festival is her way of ensuring she does something positive in Eadie’s name, provide further support to bereaved families and give back to the group that supporter her in her greatest time of need.
That group is Emily’s Circle – a community for bereaved mums that spans all four corners of Northern Ireland – where “love gathers and strength grows” launched by founder Laura to support other mums when her own daughter Emily passed away ten years ago.
Today, the group offer support, community, fitness classes, regular activities and retreats for bereaved parents where together they navigate grief, however it presents.
Laura and Nicola from Emily’s Circle have also been giving Brianna a much needed helping hand in preparing for the big festival night.
Alongside raising money for the Emily’s Circle, there were a number of important goals that Brianna wished to achieve with the event. For her, awareness of SIDS and child bereavement were two massive factors that could not be overstated.
Said Brianna of her own experience following Eadie’s death: “What I found is whenever a baby dies under any circumstances is that they are forgotten quite quickly by the people around them because they are so small or weren’t here yet.
“People just didn’t understand. I found after the first year everyone was back to normal and I was just watching the world revolve around me.”
Sadly, the circumstances of Eadie’s death brought a fresh level of pain for Brianna, as those uneducated in the nature of SIDS began to talk.
“I found it really difficult in the way that Eadie died there is such a stigma around it,” said Brianna.
“By the time we had got home from the hospital there were already whispers that I had rolled over or had dropped her… these horrible, horrible things. In actual fact with SIDS even the doctors don’t know what causes it.
“I know other mummies as well are waiting on a death certificate and you are so petrified for what is going to come back on that piece of paper. It could be anything and you torture yourself with what other people are saying but that’s not what it is and that’s not how it works.”
According to the NHS website, SIDS is categorised as is the “sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby aged up to 12 months old” and it is not known what causes it to happen.
In Eadie’s case, following her death her parents were asked by the post-mortem team too donate a sample of tissue to put forward to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to help further their understanding.
Said Brianna: “They are actively trying to figure out why it happened, but I don’t think they ever will.
“With sudden death in any capacity it is hard to wrap your head around. I put a perfectly healthy baby to bed that evening and that wasn’t the case in the morning.”
Left, Brianna and Eadie and right, Eadie with big brother Cillian
Brianna is passionate about raising awareness for SIDS, protecting mothers who have gone through the same heart-wrenching pain that she and her family have endured and in giving advice to those who surround grieving parents.
She explains: “With a baby dying, it is horrific, but people think forever you’re going to be this big, sad cloud and they nearly be shocked when they see you smiling or laughing.”
Acknowledging that there are times when you need to cry, Brianna says Emily’s Circle is one of the best places to feel that pain and be understood. But similarly, it acts as a completely safe space on those days when you give yourself permission to feel ok!
There’s a need for better understanding, she says. “People, and I know they are well meaning, but a lot of people told me ‘oh, you know you can go again’.”
While she acknowledges that people are in a “tricky situation”, instead of offering potentially harmful platitudes, she says her best advice to comfort bereaved parents is to ask, “do you need anything?” It’s simple and helpful and is often all a parent needs to hear.
She always dressed little Eadie in bows and to this day wears one around her wrist. She says her daughter was a force – a “big” baby who was always hungry! And she “adored” her big brother, Cillian – the first person to ever make her laugh – following him with her eyes everywhere he went.
Her event, in Eadie’s memory, is understandably very important to Brianna. She hopes those in attendance understand that it’s an evening of celebration… and as such, she wants everyone to enjoy themselves to the max!
Musicians on the evening include Niamh Murray, Rory Ballentine, Joe McVeigh and Spade Town, the latter two who both provided music at Eadie’s funeral.
It starts at 6pm and finishes at 10pm on June 12, with food and a raffle on the night… with all prizes generously and kindly sponsored by local businesses.
Tickets are now on sale through Eventbrite and there may also be entry at the door on the night, if space is available.
Brianna has no fixed target in mind but reckons there’s already around £1,000 raised through ticket sales and donations.
She says, “any amount raised for mummies who are feeling, or have felt like me, that’s the most amazing thing!”
Also – keep an eye out on the Moy Square the day before on June 11! Brianna will be cycling for five hours straight in a “powerful act of strength, love, and determination” for Emily’s Circle.
There will also be face painting for children on the day of the cycle from 2pm–4pm.
You can make a donation to Eadie’s Echo fundraiser for Emily’s Circle via GoFundMe here
