Home » News » Fun and fundraising in aid of Kildysart man

Fun and fundraising in aid of Kildysart man


RETIRED GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh will be among the high-profile guests at Kildysart GAA grounds on Bank Holiday Monday as part of the Cian Cleary benefit fundraising drive.

A full programme of events have been organised, while the highlight of the afternoon will be a full-scale match between the Clare senior football team and Estuary Gaels, which is an amalgamation of Kildysart, Coolmeen, Clondegad, Lissycasey and Shannon Gaels. The match will throw in at 3.45pm and will feature a live commentary across the loudspeaker system.
At 1.45pm, the Clare senior ladies county team will play a local All-Stars selection, while an U-10 Go Games tournament will start at 3.10pm.
Aside from the football, the fundraising day will also incorporate a barbecue, bouncy castle, face painting, DJs and local musicians. The fundraiser is being organised jointly by the Cian Cleary Benefit Fund Committee and Kildysart GAA Club. Organisers are also producing a match programme, which will be available for sale.
Now 21 years old, Cian Cleary sustained serious injuries after a fall at UL on May 19, 2010. He had just completed a four-year business degree at the university. Prior to his accident, Cian was an avid sports person. He played Gaelic football from underage to adult level for Kildysart, winning a Junior A medal in 2008.
Having sustained serious head, neck and spinal injuries, Cian was initially treated in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick before he was transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin. There, he spent more than six months trying to re-establish a quality of life with the help of several medical teams. During this time, Cian underwent surgery to repair his neck injuries. Last December, he was transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire. While he has made a good recovery from his head and neck injuries, he continues to have serious spinal injuries. The most recent medical prognosis is that Cian will be wheelchair dependent. He is paralysed from the chest down. As a result, he will need his home in Kildysart adapted to suit his basic needs as well as requiring constant medical care for the foreseeable future.
Since sustaining his injuries, it has been an extremely difficult journey for Cian and his family, who have endured months of pain, suffering, fear and worry. Despite everything, his health took a turn for the better last August as he marked his 21st birthday. His fighting spirit helped him to make steady progress as the months passed.
To date, he has spent two months in Dun Laoghaire where he works to rebuild his life to a level most people take for granted.
While it is heart-wrenching for those who know and love Cian to see his life turned upside down in a terrible moment, what is remarkable is the strength and courage he has shown. He strives to brighten each day with his determination and is committed to doing the best he can and make the most of a very trying situation.
The next journey Cian will embark upon will be his return home to Kildysart. This will bring huge adjustments and adaptations to life as he once knew it. To help offset some of the challenges involved, the Cian Cleary Benefit Fund was established. Several fundraising events have already been held and more are planned for the coming months.
A bank account has been established at AIB Kildysart: sort code: 935387; account number 21584098.

 

About News Editor

Check Also

Council accused of a ‘cheap job’ on Hermitage Road

RESIDENTS of one of Ennis’ most historic housing estates have been left “hugely disappointed” with …