The East Kerry GAA Board is working closely with Irish Blood Transfusion Service to encourage members of the public to donate blood in Killarney in memory of the boyfriend of a popular Spa GAA club member.
The donation clinic, in support of Oisín’s Campaign. will be based in the Killarney Heights Hotel over four days on December 9-12 inclusive.
Oisín Kelly, a member of Naomh Eoin GAA Club in Carlow, was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2021 and, after a lengthy battle, he passed in August 2023.
Throughout his illness Oisín received many blood and platelet transfusions and he and his family learned that many cancer patients require blood and platelet transfusions as part of their treatment.
Oisín attended UCC and he was the boyfriend of Mairead Bennett who is involved with the Spa Club in Killarney.
Mairead, along with his family, want to continue the campaign in Oisín’s memory and they are asking everyone to sign up with the link and register at https://www.giveblood.ie/campaigns/oisin-kelly/
Supporting the campaign is Kerry and Kilcummin GAA player Sean O Leary, who also knows the importance of blood donation as he was the recipient when he had a serious car accident in 2021.
At that time, supplies were so low that they had to import blood from the UK to save Sean’s life.
Luckily Sean is on the way to a full and healthy recovery and back on the playing field as captain of his club, Kilcummin.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service, with East Kerry GAA, held the start of the GAA national roll-out of Oisín’s campaign in Spa GAA Club and club members, St Paul’s Basketball Club, David Clifford and friends attended to start the awareness programme.
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