Ray and Co way ahead as they smash world record

It was a good day for selling hats in Dublin yesterday — the Ray D’Arcy show broke its fifth world record for the most heads shaved simultaneously.

The event was held in the Mansion House where 179 heads were shaved simultaneously for Today FM’s Shave or Dye challenge.

Some of the recruits who had not come prepared made a dash to the nearby shops for head cover.

Guinness World Record adjudicator Anna Orford, who oversaw the successful attempt, confirmed just after noon that the record had been smashed.

The record set was more than double the previous one of 77 achieved in New South Wales, Australia on May 4 last year.

Ahead of the attempt, presenter Ray D’arcy and his producer Will Hanafin got their heads shaved in front of an audience of 500.

Singer and Voice of Ireland mentor, Bressie, also had his lovely locks shaved off in support of the Shave or Dye campaign to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

Listener Ciara Collins from Passage West, Cork, was hand-picked from the audience to shave Bressie’s head.

Ciara also took part in the record attempt and had her head shaved too.

Comedian PJ Gallagher; architect Dermot Bannon; magician Keith Barry and actress Lauryn Canny, who played Amber in the RTÉ television series of the same name joined Ray on stage in the Round Room to shave listeners’ heads.

Ray said €250,000 had already been raised for the campaign, with thousands of events still to take place around the country.

More than €6.3m has been raised for the Irish Cancer Society since the fundraising campaign began in 2010.

Here are previous records set on the Ray D’Arcy show for Today FM’s Shave or Dye:

— 2010. The most heads shaved by one barber in one hour — 60.

— 2011. The most heads shaved by 10 barbers in one hour — 315.

— 2012. The most heads dyed by one hairdresser in 24 hours — 62.

— 2013. The biggest gathering of Mohicans — 257.

Around 50,000 events were organised over the last four years by Shave or Dye.