It is enormously sad news that our friend Kano, Martin Kane, succumbed to his illness this morning. Kano was an ever-present on CQN for four years, on occasion writing our match reports, until illness struck in 2008. He was left completely paralysed, eventually only able to communicate through a machine, requiring round the clock care.
He was isolated in hospital in his home city of Perth, Western Australia, lonely for him and difficult for his wife Carolyn and their family, with no realistic chance of recovery. On hearing this news, CQN reacted in an incredible way. Our also now-departed friend, Pablophanque, wrote, “We need to get this guy home”, and a campaign started to raise the tens of thousands of pounds required to transform part of his home into an appropriate care facility.
As the campaign got underway I remember being concerned, it was going to take at least £60k and I thought we had no chance of getting close to this. Pablo (memorably) didn’t want to head the campaign he started but others soon stepped in and the Bring Martin Home got underway in earnest. Those behind it moved heaven and earth, and within a few months, the money was in place and Kano was back living at home with his family.
The Kano Foundation, a remarkable self-funded organisation which takes kids groups and charities to Celtic games, was established by those running the Bring Martin Home campaign, to harness the expertise and goodwill for on-going good, in Martin’s name.
When I first met Kano’s dad, Matt, who himself is no longer with us, six years ago, I was caught off-guard when he talked about Kano’s life expectancy. Unable to move he was enormously vulnerable to any prosaic infection. He suffered a few health scares but fought through them for far longer than many anticipated.
We got him back on the blog briefly, sharing some of his gratitude for the work done and his humour, but he explained the hours it took to compose his few sentences. He continued to watch Celtic, of course.
This morning our thoughts go to Carolyn and the kids, as well as to his good pal Ramie and those who cared for Martin. Those who decided to get off their arses and change the world for one family back in 2008 should be very proud of what they did, and the years at home they gave Kano.
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May you rest in eternal piece Martin Kane , God Bless
Didn’t know Kano, or his family.
But the feelings expressed here by so many, and the signs of him all around Celtic Park and beyond, show that he must have been a good man – prayers for him and his immediate family especially.
I saw a wee boy (11-ish) a couple of months ago in a weans football club strip in a shop in Chapelhall with the Kano logo as the club badge – I remember thinking that Kano’s presence was really far-reaching. I hope there will be some comfort to his wife from the good work done in his name.
Hail, Hail
BGFC
rest in peace martin kane.
Martin Kane Rest in Peace.
Thoughts with his family and friends at this time.
John
Just logged on to find the sad
news about Kano
My thoughts are with his family and friends and I hope they can take some small comfort in the response on here
He will be missed on here. For those who were not familiar with Kanos posts lets just say they were never dull.
Clinko
RIP Martin Kano Kane, thoughts and prayers for you and your family.
The Bring Martin Home Campaign was the main reason I joined the blog and because of that I have enjoyed several years of posting and had the opportunity to meet some fine CQN’rs as well as our host.
Thank you Martin for that opportunity, God bless you and be in peace now free of the suffering you have endured.
Hail! Hail!
A remarkably brave person, by all accounts. And the campaign to bring him home a testament to the remarkable generosity of the Celtic community.
Rest in peace Martin Kane
RIP Kano.
Sad Sad Day.
Thoughts and Prayers to everyone who knew him and the Celtic Family.
KLV
RIP Martin Kane.
What a fantastic legacy you have left in the shape of the Kano Foundation.
Prayers for Martin’s family and best pal Ramie and all on CQN who know Martin.
Reading CQN today the strength of feeling is quite remarkable.
Condolences to the Kane family and to all who knew him.
R.I.P.
sad sad news
The campaign to bring him home was one which showed the good side of the timternet and was supported by so many
RIP
This is a sad, sad day on the CQN.
Martin Kane RIP
Close family and friends stay strong.
Another angel leaves the parish.
YNWA
Kano RIP.
I pray that Good work will be done in your name for years to come.
Rip martin may allah bless you.
condolences to the kane family x
RIP Kano
As someone said earlier, would be good to revisit/reprint some of his old posts, legendary.
A post from Kano on Monday, July 11, 2005:
At 11:25 AM, Kano said…
Evening Paul,fellow tims.
Seems the thinking about Strachan is eventually coming round to actually considering that it might have been a good move after all.
Also, as you have pointed out, good work being recognised and applauded by the suits in the background.If not by Scottish media, at least by the people we are actually dealing with.
It has taken you a long time banging on about this but it would appear you are at last, making some inroads.Well done.
Strachan will be a good,if not great manager of Celtic.He is knowledgable,passionate,and also unlike MON, he doesn’t seem interested in being the”inscrutable” one.He tells it straight and gets things organised early.The goings on with MON and the “I don’t know what budget I will have in the summer”quotes(when he was obviously fully aware of his operating restrictions),I hope will now be a thing of the past.
There has been a lot of talk here about the failure of the PR dept. at Celtic. The most important PR people at Parkhead are the fans ,the players,and the manager. In that order. And for me,Strachan wins that comparison with O’neill hands down.
In every other department I have the feeling he will either be his match or superior.
Martin O’neill did very well with Celtic,although if you take out the Seville experience,it leaves him with a record of one less trophy than Alex Mcleish with Mcleish having been manager for one season less than O’neill.With Mcleish having to sell players at the same time as O’neill being a net spender. Hardly the record for the deity status being conferred on him by some.
We have a new man and his name is Gordon Strachan,and he will be the one who represents Celtic only slightly less than it’s fans and players.
Thankfully, my initial joy at his appointment seems not to have been misplaced,and I think we can look forward to a very exciting few years to come.
Hail
Kano
Very sad.
RIP.
Far too young…………RIP Kano
Gutted to hear the news and such a shock.
We swapped e-mails a few times before his illness. He was one tough cookie, singular and forthright and honest – type of guy I warm to.
He was a four alarm fire on the blog sometimes and I for one missed his contributions when his illness struck – and that doesn’t infer others didn’t. But such was his spirit and resonance and such was the selflessness of Pablo and others that that spirit, his spirit, remained a part of the blog.
And now in his passing we have his memory as well as that spirit, that fight, that determination.
And thanks to those few who worked tirelessly at the beginnings and the creation of the Kano Foundation – we have his legacy too. No small thing – and those involved should be so proud of what they have accomplished.
So as much as I’m sad – I’m also proud of fellow supporters and the magic they have weaved.
God Rest You Martin, God Bless Your family.
Yours
Ulysses McGhee
X
Condolences to his nearest and dearest. Martin has been released from the earthly chains that have blighted his recent years and can now soar with the angels.
The CQN community has done many, many wonderful things, the Bring Martin Home campaign is right up there at the top. God bless you all.
Didn’t know Kano, the posts today are a great testimony to him. RIP. The Foundation will be his legacy.
Rest in Peace, Kano. Your passing has moved many on here to shed a silent tear today, a testament to the depth of feeling of many of us who never met you other than through the pages of this blog. Some guy for one guy.
Richie…. Re Kano post How prophetic was that?
brought a wee smile to my face cheers.
H.H.
R.I.P Kano.
The affection shown for you today has humbled me.
Sleep well. HH
RIP Martin Kane
Deepest sympathy to all
who are close, so sad.
YNWA
On the 11th December, just four short weeks ago, I was chuffed to bits to receive the following reply to an e-mail sent to Kano, sending him best wishes from CQN. It read simply :-
“Thanks for the email and the thoughts t***.
Indeed thanks to you all for my being home.
I do have have a “voice” as such.
I use a scan based program with a Bluetooth
Chin clicker.
Though very slow
Will write more soon
Kano
Sent from my iPad”
Well, whatever writing that will be done “soon” will use a form other than e-mail to impart thoughts and hopes.
Kano’s writings on CQN showed him to be a passionate and fiery defender of Celtic’s Irish and Republican roots, amongst other strong opinions he held. He told you head on what he thought and there was no side to his expression of opinion. I was not often in his field of fire but I never got the impression that any disagreement was personal with Martin. He was a strong man whose strength was cruelly and suddenly taken from him. His final years were so different and, whilst they would have taxed any man, it must have been doubly cruel for it to happen to such a young, strong, and vibrant man.
What did not change for Kano in those final years was the strength of the love and care received from friends and family, and the strength of support sent to him by Celtic fans, and fans of other football clubs, including Rangers. As we are on CQN, we should not ignore the efforts of pablophanque, crc, MWD, Mouldy, Kinghoh and Sannabhoy to name but a few. I also felt the quiet dignity shown by Ramie in his contact with us and the more forceful reminders prompted by kitalba also served to promote our better instincts to support one of our own who had fallen so suddenly.
I commend the efforts of all the cyclists, the bucketeers, the auctioneers, the donators and the Kano Committee stalwarts who keep the flame alive.
If I want to hear more from Martin Kane in following up his e-mail of last month, I need look no further than the faces of the weans who pass into CP under his name. It is some legacy.
RIP Kano
Stay strong! Carolyn and family and friends.
fieldofdrams
14:34 on 9 January, 2015
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Hear, hear fella
well said.
Paul 67 – Absolute respect mate.
RIP Martin
God bless you son.
Came on just at this thread and got one of Kano’s (RIP) posts. Percipient or what? When a lot of people were doubting WGS he got it on the button. A big loss. Go to your rest and meet Tommy Burns and all your heroes. “It’s a far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”
Martin Kane R.I.P. A man I never met but have followed his path through the Kano foundation for many years, Prayers for his wife and family , he is at peace now and they have an angel watching over them.
Sannahbhoy and all those involved with Kano foundation your dedication to his cause was and is remarkable. JP if there is anything you need you have my number xx
rest easy big mhan you are among great people
HH
Rest in peace Kano and may GOD give strength to your family. Amen.
My sincerest condolences to all Martin’s family & friends.
I am a 52 year old professional man, sitting at my desk crying for a man I never met.
I started lurking on CQN just after Martin’s illness. I was struck by how ‘Celtic’ it was that the bhoys had rallied round to do something for a mate. I have stayed on and lurked every day and far too many nights. I loved and filed away Zbysek’s winnie-the-pooh post that (as far as I am concerned) inspired that title win that year. I have enjoyed the laughter and the rows, the quizzes and the music. I have often thought that there must be better ways to spend countless hours. My sons have grown up watching my lurking and are mesmerised that I have never felt the urge to make a single contribution (so this will most likely be a one-off). I was moved by the reaction to Pablophanque’s passing and proud when I realised that we shared a family name. I have chipped in (not often and not much) to many of the collections and sponsored rides along the way. I am deeply grateful to Paul and the moderators for all they do to provide this space.
Like many on here, this is for me a haven. A place of community, a place of togetherness where people join in the shared love of a football club and then, like all families, open themselves to provocation on just about anything, poppies, songs, Irishness, independence, the demise of the cheats across the city. It is because of the depth and honesty of the love we share that we keep coming back.
Like many too, I wrestle with religion and belief. I attend Mass very often but I don’t yet know if I really believe in God. I accept and appreciate those who offer prayers and I understand those who criticise or simply hold to some agnostic alternative.
And like all families, we have fall outs and re-unions and huffs and days of great joy.
Today, I feel like I have lost a brother. May my brothers and sisters in Celtic find comfort in the togetherness here. If there is a God, I trust Martin is with Him and together they will look kindly upon us. May he rest in peace.
Just up and reading about Kano…………..R.I.P………..
Our loss is Heavens gain………..HH
gabriel in belfast
14:42 on 9 January, 2015
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Cracking post my friend.
Maybe Martin’s family might need a wee hand re costs etc? Anyone advise if appropriate,ta.
Well said Gabriel.
RIP Kano.
HH