Martina Jennings, wife to the Mayo legend Jarlath Jennings and mother to Iarla, a romeo and future Dual star with some Rugby and the Diva Rachel who will one day be looking after us all with her money. I have minded her kids, lived with her family and listened to her madness.

What has to be done and what needs to be done are 2 different questions but Martina Jennings never in her life will ask that question when the shit hits the fan. She will ask what can I do and never does she say this out loud just to be heard, she goes and does it. A firm believer in Gratitude and a Rhonda Byrne follower. In fact it was Martina who introduced me to the secret.

I have known my sister all my life, only my elder Brother, Sisters and Dad would know her longer. I spend most time with her as she always volunteers for a lift to see Jimmy Egan or Micky Of Neill. Every doctor knows Martina as my sister and some as my mother before they are corrected.

I even know Martina longer than my own mother which not common for most. We have had our ups and downs and certainly have fallen out, Angered each other. We are both the star sign Taurus, her birthday a week after mine. Common attributes are competitiveness , stubborness with a good heart and a never give up attitude and by god is this instilled in us. I like to think we learn from each other. Martina is into mad things, every diet going, all fitness classe’s but one of the strongest she ever introduced me to was a guy near Dublin. After transplant and before Xmas we went to see him. I can only describe him as unusual. Part rakkai healer, part mind reader. We talked for a little while and he told me that he is not married but has a girlfriend and every year, on a specific date each year they sit down and ask each other if they want to spend another year together. If yes, they sign the contract and if no, they go there separate ways. After that he stood me up and asked me to close my eyes. He looked at me and told me my lungs were strong and healthy. We drank water and said goodbye. Only after on the way home did Martina tell me that he had helped a friend of ours very much and with that we laughed and joked of years to come.

Ya see that’s the thing about Martina and infact any of my family. We deal with the here and now, not the if and when. We grab life by the balls and run as far as we can. Meet and greet people. One thing myself and Anthony always said was if we were in a bar on our own for 6 hours we would only talk to the barman. Whereas within 1 hour Martina would have the whole place engaging and chatting.

That harrowing day when I met with Prof. McElveanny in 2006 who informed me that my lungs had two years left if I didn’t get a transplant and I needed the dreaded peg tube. I broke down, Martina broke down in fact my whole family broke down and for my eyes that was the only time I have seen her helpless and nowhere to find help but she did something I personally will never forget. After that news, I decided I needed to travel and expressed my wishes. Doctors initially said no and I came home to Martina’s on a Saturday night to find Patricia and Martina there. We talked about my trip to Chicago over a bottle of tequila. We were both in floods of tears. Me because all my friends were off on a trip of a lifetime and Martina because she knew how much I wanted to go. With that we agreed to go to the consultants in Dublin on Monday. When we got there In put my case to Cedric and he could see my desperation. He allowed me to go for three weeks. Martina found hospitals nearby, contacted airlines and put everything in place without any asking just for the love of me.

Every time I seem to have a problem. She moves mountains to fix it and she has done this for CF patients and Families throughout Ireland. With no word of thanks because she never wanted it. She always puts other people first. If we had a Martina in politics we would have a fine country but that will never happen as she is too honest for them.

Now I also have seen Martina work to close contracts that are worth millions including a mobile contract to the HSE. She is one of the top sales people in Ireland and will remain defiant in her job as she treats customers like friends and friends like family. Her fundraising efforts are nothing short of phenomenal. When Martina calls, people come running as they know it’s different, fun and exciting. When I tore my ligaments 3 weeks before NYC marathon. Martina stood up without training and completed 26.2 miles. All she thought of was CF people that could walk up a flight of stairs. She also climbed Kilamanjaro with no training. When there is up to 18 years in a age difference between siblings and your friends are comfortable to talk to your elder sisters and brother, that’s when you know you have good family. It will never change and she will always inspire. That’s only a few stories I have there is loads more. Some funny and some serious but all with smiles on our faces and love in our hearts. You can’t choose your family but I won the lottery with this bunch of loons.