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Sporting stars unite at launch of Cormac Trust

Filed under: News/Events - Posted on Wednesday, September 15th, 2004 @ 11:02 am

Sporting personalities from the world of GAA, rugby and soccer helped launch fundraising for The Cormac Trust in the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast, yesterday.

Former Irish international rugby player Jeremy Davidson, Glentoran striker Chris Morgan and Tyrone All-Ireland winning captain Peter Canavan joined members of the McAnallen family and representatives of Tyrone GAA to officially launch a fundraising banquet to generate initial funds for the trust.

The Cormac Trust is in the process of being set up and aims to put in place defibrillators, upon application, for the use of sporting organisations in county Tyrone.

It is hoped that this will benefit people and the community generally and promote and encourage screening to identify and treat such heart conditions as that which brought about Cormac’s sudden death.

The trust will also raise awareness on these heart conditions and lobby to raise awareness in government health departments on the need for serious action.

Speaking at the launch, Pat Darcy, chairman of Club Tyrone, the public relations and marketing committee of the county committee, said how pleased his group were to have been asked to initiate fundraising for the Cormac Trust through the hosting of a banquet on Friday, February 4 at the Armagh City Hotel.

Demand for tables is already high across the country.

Brendan McAnallen, Cormac’s father, welcomed the efforts of the Tyrone county committee, Club Tyrone and the sporting personalities in attendance in starting fundraising for the Trust being set up in Cormac’s memory.

He thanked Peter Canavan and the county team who had recently held a fundraising function, with some of the proceeds going to The Cormac Trust and the rest to help send Cormac’s fiancee to Calcutta for Christmas, where she will help the poor there celebrate the festive season.

He said that the legalities regarding the trust would be finalised next month, with Davidson, Canavan and Morgan all agreeing to be members.

Bridget McAnallen, Cormac’s mother, said many of the heart ailments that afflicted sports people often gave no warning.

This was true in Cormac’s case. He was very fit, watched his diet and did everything he was told by the team trainer and physio.

She recounted the night he died and the efforts by the doctor and ambulance staff to revive him. She hoped that the defibrillators would save lives in the future and that one should be available at every club.

Peter Canavan spoke of the terrific impact Cormac had made on the team and said his leadership both on and off the field was impeccable.

He was pleased to be associated with the Cormac Trust and also hoped that the screening and defibrillators would help save lives in the future.

Both Davidson and Morgan spoke of the need for such screening and knew that sport in general would benefit greatly from it.

They both gave their full support to the fundraising banquet and welcomed the setting up of the trust to undertake such an important role in the prevention of heart conditions as that from which Cormac died.

Those wishing to book a table for the banquet in the Armagh City Hotel on February 4 can do so online at www.thecormactrust.com.

THE CORMAC TRUST

Contributions should be made to:

First Trust Bank, Omagh
Sort Code: 93-81-30
Account No: 658 334406
Account Name: Coiste Chontae Thir Eoghain

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