Dublin footballers in the pink for charity

By Danielle Stephens

DUBLIN ladies footballers - the reigning Leinster champions - will have a colourful addition to their kit this Sunday when they tie their boots with pink laces.

The senior team is supporting Breast Cancer Ireland's (BCI) Lace Up For A Cure campaign.

The idea came from a young woman, Susan Byrne, whose mother died.

She bought and then sold many pairs of pink laces to friends and relatives and donated all of the money to BCI.

The Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football Association (DLGFA) subsequently decided to support the campaign.

Patricia Monahan of Le Cheile Community Centre explained why the two organisations teamed up.

"We felt the lace-up campaign fitted our profile as a women's football association because as sports people who wear football boots we obviously need laces," she said.

"As we're a female sporting association, we know a lot of our members might be affected by breast cancer, and we felt it was the ideal opportunity to raise awareness."

awareness

The DLGFA chose BCI as its charity of the year, having previously worked with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Samantha McGregor of BCI said the new partnership is a positive step for the charity organisation.

"We're really excited," she said. "It raises awareness among young women and it's always a good thing to raise money for charity as well."

hnews@herald.ie