Dempsey dinner raises €3,000 for charity

GIRVAN DEMPSEY was in Donnybrook yesterday to make donations of €1,500 each to two special charities – Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and the Irish Cancer Society.

The funds were raised at a gala dinner hosted by Dempsey’s club, Terenure College, in Dublin in April to mark the Leinster and Ireland full-back’s outstanding service to the game. More than 300 guests attended.

Dempsey, who retired from the game in May after 175 appearances for Leinster in a career spanning 14 years, in which he won Celtic League, Magners League and Heineken Cup honours, explained:

“It was a huge honour to be acknowledged by my peers and I am very grateful to Terenure for staging the event. They put on an amazing show, which a lot of my colleagues attended. It made me feel incredibly humbled.

“The two charities are very close to my heart. My wife Anne-Marie and I had to visit Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin a few times when our son Peter was born and our family has had close links with the hospital for many years.

“Every family in Ireland has been affected by cancer and the Irish Cancer Society are doing unbelievable work in helping people come to terms with the disease. A number of years ago my own father Matt was diagnosed with prostate cancer and it really hit home then with our family.

“I’ve seen at first hand the enormous support the Irish Cancer Society gave my family at that time and through Leinster’s own links with Action Breast Cancer over the last few years it was important for me to make this donation.”

Joe Quinsey, chief executive of the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, said: “There is no end to the uses of voluntary donations such as this and part of these funds will go towards the renovations of St John’s Ward for cancer patients, while some will also be directed into medical research into the disease.”

Jim O’Malley, corporate partnerships manager with the Irish Cancer Society, added: “The Irish Cancer Society is thrilled with the ongoing support of Leinster Rugby and the recent event hosted by Terenure. Their support will help us continue to offer free nursing services and support for all those affected by cancer across Ireland.”