Coláiste Ghobnatan urging schools to get behind jersey day for Féile O'Sullivan

There has been a fabulous response to the various fundraisers and events supporting the ongoing recovery of Féile O’Sullivan, a young teenager from Allihies in West Cork.

Féile’s life changed forever last year when she suffered devastating injuries in a farming accident.

The latest initiative is a jersey day that will take place in secondary and primary schools in Cork and Kerry on Friday, March 20.

Coláiste Ghobnatan in Ballyvourney, a secondary school, are just one of the many schools that is already behind this jersey day. Teacher Dónal Ó Laoire is on the organising committee led by former Cork footballer Barry Coffey.

“Barry rang me one night recently and he asked me did I know anyone that would be in contact with Cork schools? I just felt in my heart that I had to do it and get involved with this.

“I’m obviously on the Cork side of it, there are people in different areas, so it has really snowballed.

“At the moment, the feedback is very positive, absolutely very positive. I’ve got feedback from lots of schools that they’re going ahead and doing it. I do want to thank the principals of the schools for allowing this to happen because they might be inundated, but this is a great cause.

“We all know it’s intense at times the rivalry between Cork and Kerry, but it’s great that we’re all coming together.

“The rivalry is certainly intense here in this school because of the fact that we’re on the border, really. But I suppose rivalry aside, at the end of the day, we’re all one big family and we have to look after each other and that’s where we’re coming from.” 

Ó Laoire is encouraging any school that the organising committee may have missed in recent weeks to come forward and support a great cause.

“If we have missed an email to a school in Cork or Kerry, please get in contact with me and I will send you all the information.

“The key message is that I would hope that every school would take part. There’s four jerseys in both counties to be won, two for secondary schools and two for primary schools, so there’s an added incentive for schools as well.

“It’s obviously a challenging time for Féile, but I think by all accounts, she’s doing very well at the moment. The main goal is to support her ongoing recovery. There’s tough times ahead and we want to alleviate that if we can in some way and to help along the way.

“We feel this jersey day is a great way to help bring money in and help Féile.” 

For more information, contact d.olaoire@colaisteghobnatan.ie.