Mícheál’s gala tribute for Sports Academy

THE IT Tralee Foundation will hold a gala tribute dinner in honour of the legendary Micheál Ó’Muircheartaigh at the Clayton Burlington Hotel in Dublin on September 22, with all funds to go to the IT Tralee Foundation Board to complete its €16.5 million Kerry Sports Academy.

The Garvey’s Supervalu-sponsored event’s launch took place on Tuesday. President Michael D Higgins will be Guest of Honour, with Sunday Game presenter Des Cahill set to emcee proceedings. A table of ten will cost €5,000.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh is himself a member of the Foundation Board, whose Chairperson Dick Spring was most excited in looking ahead to the event.

“We are delighted to be awarded the honour of hosting this gala dinner to celebrate the life and career of Micheál Ó’Muircheartaigh”, Mr Spring said, describing his colleague as a national treasure. “It promises to be a very special night for his family, Irish sport and, indeed, the larger GAA family,” he added

Joanne O’Riordan formally launched the event and was also lavish in her praise of Mr Ó Muircheartaigh.

“I am deeply honoured and privileged to have been asked by Micheál to launch this very special tribute night,” she said.

“Micheál is a very special person and it is only right and fitting that he should be honoured and celebrated with a gala tribute dinner”.

Construction of the €16.5 million Kerry Sports Academy at the ITT North Campus is ongoing, and the project is set to open in January. It aims to cater to participants in all sporting disciplines, regardless of ability.

The Academy has also been designed with the needs of Paralympic and Special Olympics athletes in mind. IT Tralee President Oliver Murphy has been impressed by Mr Ó Muircheartaigh’s commitment to the project.

“The Kerry Sports Academy has been on the masterplan for the IT Tralee for many years and I would like to sincerely thank Micheál for the time he has given to us as a board member of the IT Tralee Foundation,” he said.

“It is testament to his unending generosity that he has decided to donate 100 per cent of the proceeds from this fundraising gala dinner to this very worthy cause.”

Tickets are available from the IT Tralee Foundation, For further details on the event, phone (066) 7191787 or email mary.griffin@staff.ittralee.ie.

Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile The legendary Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh (centre) at the launch of the Gala Tribute Dinner in his honour in Croke Park on Tuesday in an event officiated at by Joanne O’Riordan (front centre) and attended by a number of other sporting legends and former...