Orla Byrne Memorial Cup raised €5,000 for Breast Cancer awareness

APPROXIMATELY €5,000 was raised after 150 women across 15 teams came together at St Anne’s GAA in Bohernabreena to raise awareness about Breast Cancer and take part in the Orla Byrne Memorial Cup.

The host club were joined by other local sides Thomas Davis, St Jude’s and Ballinteer St John’s, as well as other clubs from across the country, and all the teams took part in fancy dress as well as the social camogie.

The tournament is held every year in memory of St Anne’s clubwoman Orla Byrne, who passed away from cancer in 2021 at the age of 42, and the memorial cup has been on the club calendar since 2023.

Co-organiser Louise Magaharan noted that the day is all about raising breast cancer awareness and helping to raise funds in a novel way with an emphasis on fun.

Non-competitive social camogie is an initiative designed by the Camogie Association to promote the sport of among women of all ages and abilities.

Louise said: “It’s a lot of mothers who have never played camogie before, and they’re doing it for the social element, non-competitive.

“We don’t keep scores or nothing, it’s all on fairness. How the winner is picked – they are rated out of five for the spirit of the team, the costume, the craic, the fairness and the sportsmanship. 90 per cent of the women who play on the St Anne’s team have never played camogie before, and a lot of them have gone into coaching now in the club.”

The memorial cup is organised each year by lead organiser Catherine Hoban and a committee.

It was established after Orla’s sisters had looked to do something in her honour and to raise awareness – sisters Niamh Byrne and Michelle McGrath were present at this year’s event.

Around one in seven women in Ireland will be diagnosed with breast cancer and there are over 4,000 new cases each year.

Many around the country, including in Tallaght and across the local community, know someone who has dealt with this form of cancer.

“One of the teams from Westmeath, Castletown Geoghegan, there was a family there – it was a mother, her sister and two daughters – and the mother had breast cancer, she’s a survivor.

“So, a lot of people that come and support it, breast cancer has affected their family in some way.”

The St Anne’s side were sunflowers for the day, with petals on their faces and bright coloured tutus as they played their matches.

Cabra’s Naomh Finbarra broke free from the pack and snatched the top prize on the day for

‘Spirit & Ethos of Social Camogie’, dressed as jailbirds with orange jumpsuits – the win was their second in a row after taking home the gong last year as well.

The referees even got in on the act, with Jonathon Flood and Leo Moroney donning new identities for the day – Mr Flood was a whoopee cushion, and Mr Moroney took advantage of his shared name with Pope Leo.

Tea and coffee were available in the clubhouse while DJ Deco spun tunes for hours as the tournament played out, and kids sold bracelets to raise funds.

Torpey Hurley, a business from Clare, raffled off a Breast Cancer Ireland hurley to raise funds also, with €500 gathered separately from that.