Hot shots raise €1,100 for Rory
TEENAGERS from across the district competed in a five-a-side tournament in St Leonards recently raising €1,100 for seriously ill Tintern youth Rory Whelan.
The talented hurler and all round sports enthusiast is being treated at Temple Street Hospital for Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
His condition is said to have improved greatly in recent weeks and the entire community has rallied to support his parents Helen Curran and Paul Whelan thourgh money raising efforts.
Over €20,000 has been raised to date through a GoFundMe page and through numerous fundraising events, like the soccer tournament, held across the district,
Event organiser Brian Foley said around 70 players turned out for the tournament, aged from around 12 to 15.
Mr Foley said: ‘We raised €1,100 and all money raised will go to the Rory’s Road to Recovery fund. There were other events on that day.’
A cheque for the sum was handed to Rory’s aunt Ann Marie Bates who passed the money on to his parents to help them meet the costs of staying in Dublin to be at Rory’s bedside as he recovers.
Mr Foley, who trained Rory, said everyone is delighted to hear that Rory is making strides forward in his recovery.
‘I am one of his mentors. I always call him the little giant. He would do anything you want him to do and he got onto the county team playing in goal. He was always goalkeeper, the last man back.’