Significant day as Dillon Quirke Foundation is announced as GAA official charity partner

In a significant leap forward for both the Dillon Quirke Foundation and the GAA, the foundation has been selected as one of the official charity partners for the 2025 season.

This announcement marks a pivotal moment in the foundation’s journey, especially considering the challenges faced just a year ago when the Tipperary hurling team was prohibited from wearing the foundation’s jersey during competitive matches as previously highlighted strongly in the Tipperary Star newspaper. 

The Dillon Quirke Foundation was established in memory of Dillon Quirke, a talented young athlete who tragically passed away due to sudden cardiac arrest.

His family - parents Dan and Hazel, along with sisters Shannon and Kellie - formed the foundation with a mission to prevent similar tragedies by funding cardiac screenings.

Their goal is to raise awareness and ensure that other families do not endure the heartache they faced.

This year, the GAA invited over 50 registered charities to apply for its charity partnership program, ultimately selecting four, including the Dillon Quirke Foundation. Each charity will receive €25,000 to support its initiatives, along with valuable exposure through GAA platforms.

An Uachtarán CLG, Jarlath Burns, expressed the organization’s pride in partnering with such impactful charities: “The GAA is honoured to be associated with the work of these four exceptional charities.”

Dan Quirke articulated the family’s gratitude for this partnership which has the potential to save lives: “Thank you to the GAA for this powerful partnership; together we can save the lives of young athletes. Sudden Adult Death takes on average 100 young lives each year in Ireland.

“Our aim is to save many of those lives through cardiac screening and stop the needless tragedy and heartache for families.

“We hope this partnership will help spread awareness to young athletes and their parents about the importance of cardiac screening.” he stated.

The journey of the Dillon Quirke Foundation has been marked by resilience and determination. While they faced hurdles, including the initial inability to wear their jerseys at matches, this latest development signifies a hopeful chapter in their mission.

As they step into the 2025 season alongside the GAA, the foundation is poised to make a lasting impact on the health and safety of young athletes across Ireland.

The future looks bright for the Dillon Quirke Foundation, and with the GAA’s support, they hope to turn their vision of widespread cardiac screening into a reality, ultimately saving lives and ensuring that no other family experiences the loss they endured.