A special trust fund has been set up to help a young Gaelic footballer from Cork, who sustained serious spinal injuries in a training ground accident.
Twenty-five-year-old Aidan Con O'Sullivan, was a keen player at all levels with Adrigole and Beara clubs in Co Cork.
He won an All-Ireland Senior Schools' medal with Scoil Phobail Bhéara and played with the senior team at Cork Institute of Technology before his accident last summer.
An innocuous looking tumble while training at the Douglas GAA grounds left Aidan with major spinal injuries. He has been in a wheelchair since that accident on May 21st, 2001.
Aidan has been undergoing treatment at Cork University Hospital and the National Rehabilitation Centre at Dún Laoghaire for the last few months.
Adrigole and Douglas GAA clubs have set up a joint trust fund to defray the medical expenses Aidan faces for the future. The objective is to offer every assistance to make his life as comfortable and fulfilling as possible, with the focus on his housing and educational needs.
The trust fund was launched at Beamish & Crawford headquarters in Cork last night by the president of the GAA, Mr Seán McCague.
Its patrons include Bishop John Buckley, Con Murphy, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Kevin Jer O'Sullivan, Frank Murphy and Jim Cronin.
Committee members plan to hold a head and beard shave fundraising night at the end of the month. Sponsored parachute jumps in Co Offaly are also scheduled for the coming months.
Various events are being organised throughout the country, including table quiz nights, discos and golf tournaments.
Anyone with fundraising ideas should contact the Aidan Con O'Sullivan committee at actrustfund_at_eircom.net or call Tony Carey at (027) 60008.
Donations can be lodged at AIB, Castletownbere, a/c no 01211085, sort code: 93 62 78 or sent directly to the fund secretary, payable to the Aidan Con O'Sullivan Trust Fund. The trust fund secretary, Maria Goggin, can be contacted at (027) 60070.