Kansas City Irish community celebrates chef’s life at KC Irish Center

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Family, friends, restaurant customers, KC Irish Fest members and others came together Sunday, Sept. 8, to celebrate Shaun Brady’s life at the Kansas City Irish Center.

“The fact that Shaun’s family has come over today to join us from Ireland is amazing,” said Kieran Pemberton, a Kansas City Irish Fest board member.

“I think a lot of people just want to pass on good wishes to them and just let them know how important he was to the Kansas City community.”

People who knew Shaun Brady had the opportunity to share their stories and memories of him during the celebration of life.

“Any time you went into the restaurant, he would come over and sit down and chat with you. He always had a story to tell,” Pemberton said.

Pemberton recalls Brady’s generous nature and how he would always find something meaningful to give him when he stopped by his restaurant Brady and Fox.

“I’ve been in with my wife and family, and he’s come over with a pound of Irish sausage or a pound of Irish bacon, so those sorts of stories tell what kind of character he was,” Pemberton explained.

44-year-old Shaun Brady was shot and killed in late August outside of his restaurant, Brady and Fox, near Brookside.

Brady was a well-known chef in the Kansas City metro. He was also very involved with the KC Irish Fest and started the festival’s Irish breakfast, which was held on Sunday during the festival.

“This year, we missed him obviously, and we had a little bit of a memorial for him, and people stood up and said very nice things about Shaun and the family,” Pemberton said.

“Our hearts are breaking for the family, his wife and two kids.”

Honoring and remembering Shaun was a big part of this year’s KC Irish fest.

“He loved the Irish community so much that he volunteered his time freely and just was an incredibly generous man who will be sorely missed,” Pemberton said.

“We’ve been given the opportunity today to remember him, and we are not going to forget him, but we will remember him well today.”

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