‘St Mary’s make their point and help much-loved club member’

Members of St Mary's GFC in Donore travelled to the 32 counties of Ireland on Saturday in a unique fundraiser for a much-loved club member injured when volunteering for the club.

Seamie Brady, a lifelong member the Donore/Rosnaree club was the inspiration for club members who drove to the GAA county grounds in all 32 counties, to score a point in each of them last Saturday, to raise funds.

Seamie suffered serious injuries while working voluntarily on the clubhouse roof and has been unable to work since.

To raise funds for Seamie and his family, 16 volunteer groups with two to three members each, met at St Mary's Park recently and picked one of 16 unmarked boxes, each box contained two county grounds, along with directions, and the contact number for the person who would open the grounds for them. It was a lucky (unlucky) dip, as one group picked Navan and Drogheda while some had to travel to Tralee and Cork.

"We raised €13,500 over the weekend, but we are hoping to eventually raise close to €200,000 as Seamie is unlikely to ever work again. We are hoping people will share Seamie's story and donate to our GoFundMe page," says Rob Victory, club chairman.

"Seamie was actively involved as a player, coach, and a volunteer at the club and his father Jimmy was a founding member.

"It was in his capacity as a hard-working volunteer that Seamie fell from the clubhouse roof at St Mary’s grounds in September 2015. Such was the severity of Seamie’s injuries that he has been unable to work since is unlikely to work again.

"It is hard to imagine - you head down to your local club to help and leave with life limiting injuries and in financial ruin. Seamie now finds himself 60 years of age, in daily pain and unable to provide for his family. The injuries along with the financial uncertainty and hardship that Seamie faces as he enters latter years is taking a significant toll on Seamie both, emotionally and psychologically," Rob explains. "He was unable to claim from club insurance."

"We are reaching out to the GAA community and the wider community to support Seamus in his hour of need, and to give him his dignity and financial security back.

"The GAA is an organisation that was built by volunteers, its growth and survival going forward will be down to continued volunteer support. We cannot let this happen to a volunteer and leave him without support. Seamie's dedication to his club and community represents everything that is great about the GAA and our communities."

Ron says St Mary’s are thankful to all the GAA County Boards, PRO’s and grounds staff for allowing the club access to the grounds on Saturday.

"Our club, community and the wider GAA community are determined to raise funds for Seamie and we have received a number of commitments and intend to keep the fund raising going

"We are asking that you donate what you can and to share Seamie’s story so we can give him and the Brady family their lives back."