GoFundMe set up to raise funds for former Offaly GAA chairman

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support former Offaly GAA chairman Ollie Daly who has suffered ill health in recent times which led to a recent leg amputation.

Ollie survived a quadruple heart bypass some years ago and diabetes contibuted to his leg amputation. The Offaly man is renowned for his dedication and commitment to his local community and county.

Throughout his life, Ollie served the GAA, as player, as club officer, as team manager, as trainer of club teams far and wide, as mentor, and always as a huge supporter of the Gaelic Games he loves. He has served as chairman of his county and his club.

Ollie's biggest obstacle is the need to alter his house in Gallen View, Ferbane, to enable him to return home and lead as normal and independent a life as possible. The renovations required and associated costs are considerable and a group of family and friends have joined forces to raise funds that will contribute to those costs. The fundraiser has a target of €40k and has raised €16,229 to date.

Ollie said that he was “very happy” with the progress of the fundraiser as the GoFundMe raised €14k in just one day. Some of his friends from the GAA decided to set up the fundraiser to help him to raise the money to alter his home. He added that he his house in Ferbane needs to be extend ed and a wet room (walk-in shower) has to be built as the toilet is currently upstairs.

Ollie had his left leg amputated last summer and has been in a wheelchair since then. He said that he is waiting to see if he can get a prosthetic leg fitted. Ollie said: “I am on dialysis now as well as everything else because I got pneumonia (in St James Hospital, Dublin) and four times I had fluid everywhere in my lungs and kidneys and heart and I was very lucky to pull through."

Originally, the Ballycumber man was supposed to spend two days in hospital but spent nine weeks in St James's and a further 17 weeks in the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore.

Ollie said that he's living in his son's house in Ballycumber currently as he can't live in his own house until it's altered. “I can't go home to my own house, I can't get up the stairs.” Ollie also has to go for dialysis three days a week and said that it's a “pressing time” for him now. He thanked the committee that was set up to assist him in his recovery with the GoFundMe and said that he may need €80 or €90k.

Ollie has spent much of his life supporting others throughout the county and country, particularly through the GAA, even regularly turning up in person to support Offaly Association events in the UK and USA so his family are now asking others to support him in his greatest challenge.

The former County Board chairman took over the position of chairman from Gracefield's Tommy Byrne at the GAA convention in December 2004 and, during his tenure, he even stepped in as senior football selector in 2006, when manager Kevin Kilmurray was serving a ban.

Ollie has a history of team management and particularly with his native Ballycumber Club. He has also served as a trainer with Doon, Clara, Shamrocks, Kilcormac, St Rynagh's and Ferbane. At county level, he has worked with the Offaly Senior Under 21s and Junior teams.

An avid sports fan, Ollie has also played football with Ballycumber, hurled with St Carthage's, played soccer with Ferbane Town, squash with Clara, golf with Moate and badminton with Ferbane. He also previously stood as an election candidate in the local elections for Offaly County Council.

To donate to the GoFundMe visit: www.gofundme.com/f/support-ollie-daly