THE dad of a six-year-old Ballincollig superhero has spoken of his family’s immense gratitude for the support they have received from the community through some very difficult times. 

In January 2020, Dara Kelleher was just a few weeks shy of his third birthday when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia.

Over the past three years, Dara has received intensive ongoing and successful treatment at the Mercy University Hospital, including over 120 overnight admissions, and he has benefited greatly from the help of the Paediatric Oncology Outreach Nursing Service (POONS). 

Now, Dara’s family wants to give back, and they have organised a fundraiser for POONS.

The fundraiser is called Dara Gives Back: Pedal for the POONS and it has been organised by Dara’s parents Couerena and Noel, with the support of their family and friends. From 5am on Saturday 22 April, in Ballincollig GAA Club, Noel, alongside Mike McGrath, Danny Dwyer and Pearse O’Malley, will complete a 12-hour indoor cycling challenge in which they will complete, collectively, over 1,000 kilometres.

The fundraiser’s target had initially been €50,000, but Noel told The Echo over the weekend that target had already been beaten, so now it’s €60,000.

“The support from everyone in the community, especially in Ballincollig, has just been outstanding, and we have a committee that has just been fantastic,” Noel said.

“Dara has had a hard road, but he’s fought every corner, and he’s met every challenge with a smile,” Noel said.

“Dara is a fun-loving boy, he loves his sports, he loves his brothers Noah and Jack, he loves his friends, he’s very sociable but he’s also feisty, he’s his own little man. He’s a great bit of stuff. We call him our superhero.” 

The Dara Gives Back committee members include Noel and Couerna, Eoin Butler, Danny Dwyer, Mike McGrath, Cliona Moore, Joe Moore, Michael O’Brien, Pearse O’Malley, Colman O’Flynn and Dominic Twomey.

To help Dara give back, please visit 

https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/daragivesback.