CIT SU raises €15,000 for Jack O’Driscoll Fund

The Students’ Union at Cork Institute of Technology has raised more than €15,000 for a student who suffered life-changing injuries during Storm Emma last year.

Mayfield native Jack O’Driscoll was out walking with friends at a local sports field on March 1, 2018 during Storm Emma, when he suffered a fall which resulted in him fracturing his C5 vertebrae in his neck.

The incident left him paralysed from the chest down.

The former St Mary’s captain was brought to Cork University Hospital but was transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin for surgery due to the severity of his injuries.

Jack has undergone rehabilitation in Dublin for the past year and only recently returned to Cork.

CIT Students’ Union has been fundraising in aid of the Jack O’Driscoll Fund for almost a year since Jack’s accident.

The SU is presenting Jack with a cheque for the overall amount raised of €15,289.46 at CIT today.

The money was raised as a result of CIT Rag Week activities which were organised throughout the academic year.

“The support from staff and students has been significant and is a mark of the community spirit within CIT,” said SU president Aaron Buckley.

“The efforts of members within the CIT community has been nothing short of outstanding.

“We, at CIT SU have no doubt that the ongoing support of the CIT community will stand to Jack in the months and years ahead,” he added.

Events undertaken included daytime shows and night-time events such as ‘Keep It Local’.

Other noteworthy events were: Waxathon; CIT Christmas Jumper Day; Coffee & Cake Morning; Bag packing in Tesco; a Mega-Raffle and a sponsored climb to the top of Carrauntoohil.

Various collaborative events were also run by CIT Sports & Societies, Class Reps, Chaplaincy and internal offices within CIT.