CORK HURLING BOSS Kieran Kingston has outlined how focusing on a charity fundraiser has been beneficial for his players in the absence of training and matches as the shutdown of GAA activity continues during the Covid-19 crisis.
Cork players and management are to participate in a 42-hour ‘solo run’ this weekend in the aim of raising funds for Marymount Hospice in Cork.
Every hour from 6am on Saturday 25 April to midnight on Sunday 26 April, a player from the squad will do a solo-run in their back garden or within their 2km radius.
The fundraiser is the brainchild of Cork forward Robbie O’Flynn. His mother works in Marymount Hospice, who are experiencing a significant decrease in their efforts to raise the €3.5 million to ensure their services can continue.
“In the current climate fundraising for every charity is difficult and this was an idea Robbie came up with primarily to fundraise for that fantastic cause and secondly to enable the Cork players to do something together in support of a very worthy cause during this time,” stated Kingston.
“Once he mooted it to players and management, everyone has rowed in behind it, it’s a worthy cause in a time of crisis’. In fairness to Robbie he’s put tremendous work into this. It’s a great bit of banter and for a great cause which is important.
“They (Marymount Hospice) do unbelievable work. The service that they provide, it’s fortunate to have it and unfortunate to need it. It’s a local charity that has a real benefit to Cork.”
The preparations have helped the Cork squad as the 2020 playing season continues to be disrupted. Cork finished off their league campaign on Sunday 1 March against Galway and it’s uncertain as to when they will get a chance to play collectively again.
Kingston revealed how he has remained in contact with the players and how they adjusted to the changed circumstaces impacting everyone in the country.
“This gives them an objective in the absence of games, something they can do together albeit they’re not together. There’s a bit of banter amongst the Whats App group about who’s going to get what times and what fellas are going to be in the middle of the night. That’s good for them and more importantly what they can raise for Marymount.
“A lot of these lads would have been very routine focused and been in a bubble in some ways. In a way this has been good for them to look outside that but I think it’s not really about them at the moment. It’s about keeping this country safe and healthy, then getting back to work in some shape or form, getting the economy up and going.
“I think lads, while of course they’re missing the hurling and the training and the togetherness of it, now with the evenings getting long as well, but I mean these lads from interaction with them, which is obviously limited because it’s only over the phone, they’re in good spirits.
“They’re doing stuff on their own as much as they can do within the confines and the guidelines that are presented to them and I think they’re getting on with it. Keeping fit is part of their life really, they’re doing as much as they can, whether it’s pucking around against the wall or in the garden.”
With no mass gatherings over 5,000 people to be approved before September, hopes are fading that major GAA games can return in 2020.
The Cork boss can understand the frustrations of fans and players alike but appreciates where priorities must be placed now.
“Everybody in the country and in the world wants their own sport to come back, to attend or to participate or to view on TV. Hurlers are no different. But I think that has to take a step aside at the moment because this is way more important in the context of people’s health. Amateur sport or any type of sport in my view is well down the list of priorities when you’re dealing with what we’re dealing with at the moment as a country and as a world. It has to be the case.”
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Details on how to donate to this weekend’s fundraiser can be found here and you can follow the progress of the Cork squad on the Instagram page where videos will be uploaded.
Each player has also donated a Cork jersey which will be given out as a prize to some of the donors who have supported.
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