Max HeyraudAfter losing their parents to cancer, two young Belfast DJs have turned to house music and club culture as a way to process grief and create something meaningful in its place.
Two young Belfast DJs, Conall and Conor, are channelling their grief through their shared love of club culture, transforming it into purpose in the wake of deep personal loss. After losing their mother and father to cancer within a heartbreaking period of time, the pair found themselves searching for direction, meaning, and a way to cope with the silence that followed.
House music, during this time of uncertainty, became an anchor, helping to process bereavement through music. Now, alongside AMO Presents, they are turning that experience into something bigger: an intimate fundraising event at The Phoenix in Newry on Sunday 24th May, raising vital funds for Marie Curie.
Can you tell us a little about your relationship with the parent you lost?
My mum, Sharon, was my best friend. Simple as that. She wasn’t just my mum, she was the person I told everything to, the one I’d go to with anything, good or bad. When she died of cancer in September 2025, I was absolutely heartbroken. I was in shock for weeks. I remember just walking around, thinking, “Where do I go now?” What do I even do with myself? She was such a big part of everything I did and who I was.
It took me a long time to find any direction after losing her. That grief is actually what pushed me into DJing. I needed something to throw myself into, something new, something that could hold my attention when my mind kept going to dark places. In a way, becoming a DJ was my way of finding myself again after losing her.
Conor lost his dad, Tommy Reidy, just months before, days after Conor’s 19th birthday in December 2024. That timing is something I don’t think either of us will ever fully get our heads around. To go from celebrating that milestone to losing your dad within days, it’s devastating. So between the two of us, this fundraiser carries a lot of love and a lot of loss
Do you think the club or rave environment helped you process grief differently?
100%. It opened up a whole new world for me at a time when I really needed something to grab onto. I met people like Aidan McCorry and David Shortt, two DJ friends I’ll remember forever, and that community showed me there was so much out there still to discover and learn. It kept my mind occupied and gave me a real passion to pour myself into.
I developed this huge interest in going to events and raves, seeking out new and different DJs, and just immersing myself in that world. Every event felt like something to look forward to.
And Conor was right there with me through all of it. He came along to so much of it, supported me the whole way, and somewhere along the way developed his own love for music too. That means everything to me, that something born out of grief became something we could share and grow together.
How did the idea for this event first come about?
Aidan and I were on the phone one night, and I brought up the idea of doing an event for cancer awareness due to our experience with it. Aidan was on board and got it sorted as soon as possible, thanks to his brand AMO Presents.
How does it feel to turn something so personal into a public event?
It feels surreal. Thanks to Aidan & the AMO team, allowing Conor and me to showcase our grief through music is amazing. This event means a lot to everyone involved and means the world to me. It will be a night to remember.
Why did you choose Marie Curie as the beneficiary?
They were there for Conor’s dad when he needed it the most, and they were ready to fight for my mother, too. That’s not something to forget, but sadly, she passed just before they could look after her. They don’t just treat the illness; they treat the family. Conor and I both saw that first-hand.
