A tribute fund launched in order to assist Shaun Brady’s wife and their two children has accumulated more than $100,000 (€90,000). Mr. Brady, an Irish chef hailing from Nenagh in Co Tipperary was tragically killed outside his Kansas City, Missouri restaurant earlier this week. The Go Fund Me page was arranged by professionals involved in the annual Kansas City Irish Fest occurring this weekend.
Mr. Brady, who was renowned for his love of his culture and natural charisma, had created a strong presence in the local community ever since he relocated over ten years ago with his Missouri-born wife, Kate. His death will be commemorated during a 9.30am mass at the Irish Fest in Kansas City on Sunday. Mr. Brady is survived by Kate and their two children, Seamus and Mary.
The regular Irish breakfast that Mr. Brady would routinely organise each year has been cancelled. In its place, close ones and colleagues from the hospitality industry will gather to celebrate his life. Shaun Brady was a co-proprietor of Brady’s KC restaurant situated in the Brookside region of Kansas City. Two underage male suspects linked to the incident have been apprehended and charged with his murder. As a result of their young ages, their identities remain confidential. They face charges of second-degree murder and “attempted theft” and are currently in secure custody.
Mr. Brady was attacked while taking out rubbish outside his restaurant and noticing a car theft in progress. After intervening, he was shot multiple times and subsequently declared dead at a local medical facility. Shaun Brady had shared with Kansas City Star in 2022 about the immense effort put into opening the restaurant in time for St Patrick’s Day of the same year, which involved working 20-hour shifts with friend Graham Farris. Mr. Brady, one of four children, began cooking at an early age to assist his mother, Mary.
The newspaper reported that he sharpened his culinary prowess under the watchful guidance of his grandma’s kitchen. He also frequented the kitchens of family friends who were in the hospitality industry, purely out of curiosity.
As an adolescent, Brady relocated to Dublin, gradually climbing the ranks in the city’s restaurant scene. He emerged as one of the youngest to ever don the executive chef hat, post graduating from a course at the Institute of Technology in Dublin.
Brady confessed he spent a significant time “wandering around” different eateries across Europe and Asia. He elaborated, “During my travels, if I happened to stumble upon a restaurant that I was particularly fond of, I’d go back the following day and simply ask, ‘Do you require assistance?’ and then stick around to learn the tricks of the trade.”
It was during her travels in Ireland that Brady crossed paths with his future wife, Kate. Prior to their move to Kansas City in 2013, they spent some years living in Chicago.
“His demise has left us utterly devastated,” lamented Mary Kate Gliedt, the executive director of the Kansas City Irish Centre where Brady was considered a great supporter and loyal friend. She also described his restaurant, Brady’s, as a reflection of his own persona – a place known for its warmth, openness and a welcoming spirit for all.