Autism Awareness

AUTISM AWARENESS DARAGH’S DAY

The McNally family

Dundalk FC would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who took part in ‘Daragh’s Day’ at the game with Derry City on February 14th.

The initiative, which was held to celebrate the life of 11-yearold Daragh McNally and raise awareness about autism, was a huge success with the bucket collection generating a total of €4,577 which will go to local autism services.

During the warm-up, our players proudly wore blue t-shirts, bearing an image of Daragh in his Dundalk FC kit, while Daragh’s brother Nathan and his father Paul raised the 2019 champions flag in front of the main stand.

Daragh’s mother, Colleen, his two little sisters Naoise and Layla, and his support dog Lenny then joined them to release 60 blue balloons from the centre circle.

As the balloons were released, the Shed sang ‘There’s only one Daragh McNally’. It was a touching moment and a lovely tribute to a boy whose untimely passing last November

touched the hearts of many people in our town.

Expressing thanks to all those who were involved in organising the event, Colleen said they were ‘overwhelmed’

by the response from everyone, especially the Dundalk and Derry supporters. “The last balloon didn’t want to come out, but with help it got out in the end. This was always like our Daragh. If he found something difficult that you or I would find easy, he would keep at it, until he got there in the end. That last balloon was our beautiful Daragh telling us he was there with us.”

Dundalk FC would like to thank our fans for their generosity and support and we would also like to pay tribute to the travelling Derry City fans who made a big contribution to the bucket collection and who raised placards reading RIP Daragh. It was another sign of the community aspect that lives strong in the League of Ireland.

The McNally family release 60 blue balloons. Inset: Paul and Nathan raise the 2019 champions flag