MND prof takes the ice bucket challenge

It isn’t every day that Trinity College students get the pleasure of seeing their professor endure a head to toe drenching but, then, Orla Hardiman is not your everyday academic.

She, along with 100 other faculty members, university staff — as well as a number of politicians — lined Trinity College’s Front Square yesterday to get an ice cold soaking in aid of Motor Neurone Disease research.

Trinity’s internationally recognised MND research group, led by Ms Hardiman, Professor of Academic Neurology at the university and consultant neurologist at Beaumont Hospital, took on the ice bucket challenge.

Even more pleasurable for onlookers was the sight of politicians getting a soaking. Among the political ‘Wets’ were Mary Mitchell O’Connor of Fine Gael, Independent Róisín Shorthall, Labour’s Joe Costello and Senator Ivan Bacik, MEP Mairéad McGuinness, Richard Boyd Barrett of United Left Alliance, Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín O’Caoláin, and Mary Hanafin, former Fianna Fáil Minister for Education.

Trinity received the Ice Bucket Challenge from Sheffield University and Professor Hardiman also received personal challenges from a number of people including her MND patients.

The disease, which causes a gradual degradation and death of motor neurons, affects about 300 Irish people.

Professor Hardiman said: “We collaborate widely with colleagues across the world to understand the causes of this terrible disease, and to find new and effective treatments. People in Ireland have responded with incredible enthusiasm and generosity to the Ice Bucket Challenge.

“Creating awareness about the disease is extremely important — hopefully we can put more resources into tackling MND for the ultimate benefit of patients.”