A First for the GAA and a First for Ireland

A Juvenile GAA member has become the first Irish person to travel to Canada to benefit from ground breaking eye sight technology.

A young Dublin GAA member Ciarán O Toole (9) from the Craobh Chiaráin GAA club in Donnycarney (located beside Parnell Park the home of Dublin GAA) is the first person in Ireland to benefit from a new technology (esight eyewear) to assist his vision. 

Ciarán has a condition - Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. The condition means that Ciaran has just 4-5% vision. This new technology became available earlier this year in Toronto Canada. After painstaking research and forwarding of medical information it was decided Ciarán's condition could benefit. The prohibiting factor was significant cost

No sooner was the compatibility confirmed the GAA Club family kicked into gear and within 3 short weeks raised the funds necessary to send this young GAA man to Canada to access the technology. Having received the technology on Oct 27th Ciarán retuned in time for Halloween to his club. 

His Dad Aidan, himself a member of the Craobh for over 30 years and captained the Club to a number of County titles said " this technology is life changing particularly from an educational and quality of life perspective. Ciarán can now access the whiteboard, TV and PC using the wearable technology"

Aidan on behalf of himself and his family want to sincerely thank the club, neighbouring clubs, the people of Donnycarney and Artane, and private and anonymous donations who were involved from start to finish in getting Ciarán to and from Canada.