Ollie Daly fund redistributed to four causes

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Some €50,000 raised through The Ollie Daly Fund has been donated to a number of charitable causes and healthcare services, with Ollie’s family saying they wanted to ensure the money would help others in the community.

Ollie, a Ballycumber native and long-time Ferbane resident, was widely regarded as one of Offaly GAA’s most influential and dedicated figures.

He served as a player, club officer, team manager and Offaly County Board chairman from 2005 to 2007, and was involved with a number of clubs across the county, including Ballycumber, Ferbane, Clara, Doon, Shamrocks, Kilcormac and St Rynagh’s.

In later life, Ollie faced significant health challenges. He underwent a quadruple heart bypass and also had his leg amputated as a result of diabetes.

A fundraising campaign was launched to support essential home adaptations that would allow him to return home and live as independently as possible.

Unfortunately, Ollie passed away in April 2024 before any of the planned work on the house could be carried out.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent, Ollie’s son Gary Daly outlined how the funds raised through the public GoFundMe campaign have since been distributed in his father’s memory.

Among the beneficiaries was the Renal Dialysis Unit at Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, which received a donation of €20,000, while a further €15,000 was donated to the hospital’s End of Life Care Unit.

Gary said both services had played an important role in Ollie’s care.

“Ollie was in the renal dialysis unit and, in the end, he was cared for by the End of Life Care team. They did a lot for him, so this was our way of giving something back,” he said.

A further €10,000 was donated to Miya Connolly Loonam, a teenager from Clara who survived a serious road traffic collision in February 2026. Gary explained that the family felt a strong connection to Miya’s situation, as she is living with a similar condition to the one Ollie experienced.

The fund also provided €5,000 to Off the Pitch, an organisation supporting mental health and wellbeing within the GAA community.

Off the Pitch works with clubs to deliver anonymous counselling services for playing members, backroom teams and committee members. The organisation acts as a bridge between clubs and qualified therapists, ensuring full anonymity is maintained at all times.

Gary said the donation was particularly fitting given Ollie’s lifelong involvement in and passion for the GAA.

“He was a massive GAA person himself, so we felt it was a worthwhile cause to support,” he said.

In total, approximately €51,600 was raised through the fundraiser, which attracted support from more than 500 donors.

Gary said none of the money was used by the family for personal purposes. Around €1,600 was used to cover legal fees associated with ongoing matters relating to Ollie’s estate, with plans to redirect that amount to charity in the future.

Reflecting on the public support shown to the family, Gary said they were deeply grateful to everyone who contributed.

“There were over 500 people who donated. Unfortunately, Ollie never got the chance to use the money himself, but we’re glad it has been able to help other people instead,” he said.

The Daly family has thanked all those who supported the fundraiser and said they are pleased to see the money making a positive difference through healthcare services and community-based initiatives.