Clubbing together
The Cork footballers are embarking on a training session with a difference as they are set to run over 400km for Pieta House.
The team and management are running the required distance it takes to run to each of the 24 clubs involved in the county set-up. Starting with the team captain Ian Maguire of St Finbarr’s, the players will run the total of 432km between them over the course of the day, finishing back with the team manager Ronan McCarthy in Douglas.
Maguire said: “It was inspiring and heart-warming to see the nation wide support for Pieta in the absence of their main fundraiser Darkness Into Light, but we the Cork footballers recognise that we cannot rely on one event to fund such an essential service.
“We plan to show our solidarity with Pieta by running the required distance between the various clubs involved in our set-up. We plan quite literally to club together and share the burden of 430km between our clubs and each player to run 10kms on 30 May. This is fantastic cause and please come out and support us.”
The fundraising campaign has been launched via a Go Fund Me page, which you can find by searching for ‘Cork Club Together 4 Pieta’ on social media channels such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. They will also have auctions throughout the week so keep an eye on the social media pages!
Manager McCarthy said: “It has been heartening to see over the last number of weeks and months so many clubs around the country making such massive efforts to support this outstanding organisation. Pieta is there for all in the community at any time that you need support and we want to acknowledge and support their wonderful work by making this effort to raise money for them. I urge you to donate.”
Pat Duffy of Pieta House thanked the Cork senior football team and management for their support this year to try and make up for the loss of the Darkness Into Light event, which last year raised €6m - 45-50 per cent of their annual fundraising. “All services in Pieta House are free and we depend on the community for our funding.”
Pieta House contact at 1800-247247 or text Help to 51444.