Charity
Askeaton community comes together to Give Back for Jack O’Donoghue from April 9 – 12
Askeaton community comes together to Give Back for Jack O’Donoghue from April 9 – 12
The community in Askeaton will come together for a special weekend to ‘Give Back for Jack’, raising funds and awareness for local charities in memory of Jack O’Donoghue
A special weekend in memory of Jack O’Donoghue, running from April 9 to 12 will see the Askeaton community and beyond come together to ‘Give Back for Jack’ in support of local charities and a local cause.
The event aims to raise vital funds and awareness for BUMBLEance, The Butterfly Club, and to help buy a local defibrillator to be installed in Jack’s name. The group are raising funds through an iDonate page set up, which has so far raised more than €6,500.
Organisers say the weekend is about more than fundraising and will honour Jack O’Donoghue, they said, “We have put together this weekend in Jack’s memory to support some amazing causes and to bring together a community that was so close to Jack’s heart.
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“The weekend will be full of fun and exciting activities for all ages, and we look forward to seeing you all there and doing our bit to Give Back for Jack. Jack’s memory lives on through every act of kindness.”
As part of their awareness-raising efforts, the group took part in the Askeaton St Patrick’s Day Parade with a great show of support from all in attendance.
Jack died in a road traffic accident on the N69 at Askeaton on 9 April 2025. Then thirty-three, Jack was an electrician by trade who had a keen interest in motorbikes and all sports. He played minor football for Limerick, won an all-Ireland gold medal in Community Games swimming as a child and was part of the Askeaton hurling side that won the junior B west final in 2017. For Jack’s family and friends organising the event, his death leaves a permanent void.
From the day of Jack’s anniversary, Thursday evening 9 April, right through to Sunday evening 12 April, an array of events have been planned in aid of a defibrillator for Askeaton town, BUMBLEance and local charity the Butterfly club.
Launched by The Saoirse Foundation in 2013, BUMBLEance, The Children’s National Ambulance Service, is the world’s first state-of-the-art ambulance service specifically designed and tailored exclusively for children.
BUMBLEance provides safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients who require transportation between their home and children’s hospitals, hospices, national paediatric treatment centres, and respite centres nationwide.
The Butterfly Club is a voluntary group which was set up in 2004. The original idea of the club was brought about after Rathkeale and Newcastle West hosted Martinique in the Special Olympics in Dublin in 2003.
When the Olympics was over a group of volunteers decided to offer respite to families, and a social club to children with additional needs from West Limerick. The club, with the support of West Limerick services, started in Coláiste na Trociare, a secondary school in Rathkeale in September 2004.
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