GAA stars urged to roll up their sleeves for blood drive in Páirc Uí Chaoimh 

Diarmuid Horgan was recently recognised for donating more than 300 units of blood and platelets

Dillon Horgan, left, who recently gave his first donation, his dad Diarmuid Horgan, centre, who has donated more than 300 units between blood and platelets, and Donal Hannigan, chairman of Ballincollig GAA, backing Wednesday’s big blood donor drive at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork.

A father-and-son blood donor team has encouraged GAA players to roll up their sleeves on Wednesday for a major blood donor drive in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork.

Diarmuid and Dillon Horgan, from Ballincollig GAA Club, are part of the wider GAA community which is backing the big blood drive to mark World Blood Donor Day.

Dad Diarmuid was recently recognised for donating more than 300 units of blood and platelets. His son, Dillon, also recently gave his first blood donation.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has been liaising with GAA clubs like Ballincollig in recent weeks in a bid to encourage as many over 18 players, volunteers, and club officials as possible to donate blood at Wednesday’s clinic at the GAA stadium, which will run from 3.50pm to 8pm.

While most donors have made appointments to attend, the IBTS said it welcomed walk-ins but first-time donors would have to pass the eligibility quiz on giveblood.ie first before being cleared to donate.

Just over two weeks ago, the IBTS issued an urgent appeal for blood donations after stocks in the national supply fell to just three days.

Current demand for blood from the hospitals is running at almost 6% above 2022 demand and is likely to further increase during the summer.

The IBTS aims to have seven days of blood supply in stock at all times but had to issue a ‘pre-amber alert’ letter to all hospitals last month requesting them to restrict the issuing of blood where possible, and to reduce their stock holding.

The big blood drive at the Cork GAA stadium has been organised to coincide with World Blood Donor Day — designated as an annual event by the World Health Organisation in 2005.

WHO says the day provides a special opportunity to celebrate and thank voluntary donors throughout the world for their gift of blood or platelets to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products for patients in need.

IBTS director of donor services and logistics Paul McKinney said every single blood donation is a precious lifesaving gift.

"Regular voluntary unpaid donations are the key to building a safe and sustainable blood supply,” he said.

“Access to a secure blood supply based on voluntary unpaid donation is vital for all patients, including many requiring life-long and regular transfusions for conditions such as sickle-cell anaemia and thalassemia.” 

Meanwhile, the IBTS has also announced the launch of a new donor online appointment web portal, Giveblood, which will allow donors to make their donation appointments online.