Hurling stars help launch Dillon Quirke Foundation Fundraising Drive

The Dillon Quirke Foundation fundraising drive was launched in his home club of Clonoulty-Rossmore on Tuesday by Dillon’s parents Hazel and Dan, uncle and club chairperson, Andrew Fryday.

The fundraising drive takes place in conjunction with the 22nd Circet All-Ireland Golf Challenge will take place in Killarney Golf and Fishing Club this October. Circet Chief Financial officer Eamonn O’Kennedy was also present and Golf Challenge organising chairman Liam Daniels.

Doing what he loved best, Dillon Quirke passed away from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) captaining his beloved Clonoulty-Rossmore on the hallowed turf of FBD Semple Stadium in a senior hurling championship game against Kilruane MacDonaghs. An All-Ireland winner at minor and U21 level as well as a senior championship winner with his club in 2018, Dillon began all four of Tipperary seniors’ Munster SHC games at wing-back last season.

Through The Dillon Quirke Foundation, they have established in honour of their son and brother, it is the goal of the Quirke family that every GAA player over the age of 12 is cardiac screened.

Following on from the senior hurling challenge game between Tipperary and Kilkenny in Thurles last February, The Foundation are now calling on GAA clubs and individuals to contribute €100 towards making this objective a reality.

In attendance to lend their support and promote the fundraising drive were Foundation committee members, Galway & Limerick senior hurling managers Henry Shefflin and John Kiely, Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Cahill, as well as Darragh Egan (Wexford), Davy Fitzgerald (Waterford), Darren Gleeson (Antrim), Stephen Molumphy (Kerry), Pat Ryan (Cork), Challenge patrons Eddie Keher and Seán Kelly, former Tipperary star and Dillon’s uncle Declan Ryan, and Tipperary senior hurlers Cathal Barrett, Craig Morgan, Enda Heffernan and Jack Ryan, Dillon’s cousin.

“The sole intention of creating The Foundation in Dillon’s name is to save lives,” said Dillon’s father Dan.

“SADS takes 100 young lives every year. €1 million will screen 15,000 children and young adults. To put it simply, we don’t want parents to go through what Hazel and I have experienced.

“Screening has proven to work. The clubs we are asking to contribute to The Foundation will benefit from the programmes we want to initiate countrywide. We can't think of a better legacy for Dillon.”

The Circet All-Ireland Golf Challenge will take place in Killarney Golf and Fishing Club this October. Run on an entirely voluntary basis in which all proceeds go to charitable causes, the Challenge is long established as the premier golf competition for GAA members in which they represent their clubs on the course.

In the Challenge’s corporate section, companies are this year invited to express interest in playing alongside celebrities at this year’s event in aid of The Dillon Quirke Foundation.

“Going back several years, Dan, Andrew and Declan have been representing Clonoulty-Rossmore in the Challenge,” said Challenge organising chairman Daniels.

“They have supported our causes and it is only right that we now support them and The Dillon Quirke Foundation in memory of Dillon.

“SADS is something that impacts too many lives in Ireland. One of the trophies competed for in the Challenge is named after Garda and passionate Cork GAA supporter Annette Courtney from Mitchelstown, daughter of our friends John, a Challenge committee member, and Brenda. Annette sadly passed away from SADS in September 2018. Let’s do something tangible in honour of Dillon and Annette.”

To contribute to The Dillon Quirke Foundation, visit the gofundme webpage – bit.ly/doitfordillon.

To register your company’s interest in playing in this year’s Challenge, email info@dillonquirkefoundation.com.