KILRUSH GOLF club will be lit up in pink like never before as golfers hit the fairways in colourful gear.
For the first time, a Play in Pink day will be held at the West Clare course to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Institute which is enabling a comprehensive research programme at the University of Galway.
On Tuesday, Kilrush Golf Club will host its inaugural ‘Play in Pink’ day. Teams of three can partake in the action at €20 per head, the cost will include green fees for the day. Bookings can be made on kilrushgolfclub.com in advance for the open modified team of three scramble.
Currently one in seven Irish women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before they turn seventy five years of age. There are 3,507 cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually.
Money raised from the Play in Pink fundraiser in Kilrush will go towards funding the research programmes backed by the NBCRI to continue to impact the outcomes for those who develop cancer in the future. Over €779,000 was raised nationwide last year from Play in Pink fundraisers in golf clubs across the country.
Lady Captain at Kilrush Golf Club, Clare Pyne told The Clare Echo one of her aims since assuming the role earlier this year was to hold a Play in Pink fundraiser and that it is hoped will become an annual event. “Kilrush Golf Club is the friendliest golf club in the West of Ireland, it is an honour for me to be Lady Captain. My main wish when becoming Lady Captain was to hold a Play in Pink Day which we’re holding this Tuesday”.
She continued, “It is to raise funds for this worthy cause, we’re hoping it will become an annual event. As you may know, this day is to commemorate our family, friends and golfing buddies who have suffered with breast cancer and all other types relating to this unfortunate disease. Some of them have passed, may they rest in peace, others have overcome it and are enjoying life and golfing again. We are hoping our event will be a successful and enjoyable day for all participants”.
A native of Kilmihil, Clare’s family have been one of the thousands to be impacted by cancer. “It has touched so many people, no family is without somebody having cancer. I’ve two sisters, one battled breast cancer and other the lord took her with ovarian cancer”.
Her own husband died suddenly eleven years ago and in recent years Clare relocated from Cooraclare to Ennis. Golfing has been a big part of her life. “I find golfing a great therapeutic, enjoyable sport, I was never a person for sport growing up but golf has become very important for me and I’ve made many friends because of it”.
Trying to draw a big crowd to Kilrush Golf Club on Tuesday is the immediate focus for Clare and then attention will divert to the Lady Captain’s Day on August 16th.
