Liam O’Gradaigh has battled along with his wife Sheena to keep their son Donagh, who is now aged 11, alive.

ON a recent visit to Cork I saw a poster asking what would happen if the long traditions of hurling and rugby there were threatened and comparing the probable outcry and consequent action to prevent any threat to these time-honoured transporting traditions with the lack of response to a real threat to an even older sporting tradition — rowing on the Lee.