On January 20th 2012 Ciarán Carr, two months off his 21st birthday, collapsed while training with Round Towers Senior Football team.
Despite the best efforts of his teammates, coaches and the emergency services Ciarán died in Tallaght Hospital shortly after arrival. His death was attributed to what is commonly known as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS). Ciarán’s death shocked his club, the Clondalkin community and the public at large.
Ciarán had already booked his 21st birthday party and in conjunction with his family and friends this night went ahead in March 2012. The purpose of ‘A Night for Ciarán‘ was to raise funds for the CRY Foundation in Tallaght Hospital. €24,000 was duly raised and donated.
After this mammoth fundraising effort the true extent of the loss began to set in. Ciarán, a young, fit, seemingly healthy young man, had left for training one Friday evening and never returned home.
Gemma and Philip Carr, along with friends and family, began to put together a plan to ensure that such an incident never happened again within Round Tower GAA Club. Gradually this developed into the Ciarán Carr Foundation, a charity committed to preventing sudden cardiac death in our community and others who are willing to work alongside us.
On Thursday April 4th 2013, the Ciarán Carr Foundation was officially launched in Croke Park by the Dublin Senior Football manager Jim Gavin with Gemma and Philip Carr.
Our Mission
The Ciarán Carr Foundation aims to achieve the following within Round Tower GAA Club and the wider Clondalkin Community with the hope that others will join with us:
- Screen each player at least every two years, this consists of each playing member completing the GAA approved cardiac questionnaire and in the future being screened by a medical professional
- Train every manager and coach in the use of a defibrillator and life saving CPR.
- Mentors are the first to respond to a player who gets into cardiac complications and such a skill is vital to ensure the best possible chance of survival
- Promote awareness. There are signs and symptoms and a knowledge of these can save lives
- Set an example for other clubs, regardless of sport, to join with us and prevent this happening to other communities