John Kidd is at the mercy of Jack Kidd for his close shave!
TJ Rooney is shaved by Stephanie Edwards at the fundraising night
Sarah Curran gets to work on Gary Ryan at the Hairy Farmers fundraiser
Rory Keogh loses his curls thanks to Sarah Curran
Upwards of 80 farmers participated in the charity fundraiser ‘Hairy Farmers are Back’, held in the Ardattin Inn recently
Eric Driver takes the bids during the auction
A huge crowd attended the ‘Hairy Farmers are Back’ fundraiser in the Ardattin Inn
Auctioneer Micheál Doyle gets the bids in during the auction
Stephanie Edwards shaves Nicky Moore during the fundraiser in the Ardattin Inn
Carol Doyle gets to grips with Sean Farrell
By Sarah Slater
MORE THAN 80 farmers are brandishing baby faces and hair-free heads after taking shears to their luscious locks to raise vital funds for seriously-ill children. So successful was the ‘Hairy Farmers Are Back’ fundraiser that at the time of going to press more than €50,000 had been raised, with more funds to be received. Their goal was €10,000.
For almost four months the men allowed their hair to grow wild and free in aid of Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin hospital’s Paediatric Research Department and in memory of the late much-loved girl Lucy Connolly.
On Saturday 27 April, the hairy farmers were on public display as they cut their lovely locks away. It had been eight years since the last fundraising event was held, but organisers John Kidd, John O’Toole and Eoin Byrne managed to round the herds up to do their bit to help.
Mr O’Toole revealed that “we gave it our all to raise as much money as we could because it will be another eight to ten years before this event is held again.
“My skin is now like that of a newborn baby, with my facial and hair on my head totally gone. I’m so glad the hair is gone. My wife said it was like having a new man back in the house.
“It was a phenomenal success, with 350 to 400 there in the Ardattin Inn on the night. We even had one man in Portugal on live getting his beard shaved off, so committed was he to raising funds. Everyone seemed to take our fundraising efforts on board. Members of the public like giving donations once they know it is going to a specific place. We had zero expenses associated with the fundraising drive. There was such goodwill out there, with so many raffle and auction items being donated. The raised funds are beyond our expectations.”
Right now in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) hospitals and urgent care centres, sick children and their worried families are arriving in need of critical world-class care. Across Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght hospitals, children and young people are receiving treatment at their bedside, others are being wheeled into theatre for life-saving operations or being cared for around the clock in intensive care. Meanwhile, in the comforting surroundings of CHI at Connolly, children are receiving the best possible treatments for fevers, broken bones, injuries or illnesses.
Mr O’Toole continued: “Every time a child comes through the door of a hospital or urgent care centre, a new story begins.
Donations can still be made on gofundme.com/The Hairy Farmers are Back! or revolut.me/eoin6wilk.
