Curry GAA raise funds for Croi charity in memory of late former clubmate JP Duffy

The Curry GAA mens and ladies teams at the Co Sligo club are planning to run 858km in 24 hours in memory of the popular football fanatic

A spirited GAA club and community has rallied behind the family of a tragic heart attack victim who died while raising money for the Croi charity.

JP Duffy, a married dad of three, sadly became seriously ill and died while completing the Sea2Summit Adventure Race in November.

The Curry GAA mens and ladies teams at the Co Sligo club are now planning to run 858km in 24 hours in memory of the popular football fanatic.

Daughter Aoife, who will mark what would have been her dad's 55th birthday by participating in the charity event which has so far raised almost €15,000, said: "It does mean an awful lot that the club is fundraising for Croi and the support and messages we have had from across the country and from abroad has been incredible.

"We've had clubs and people from all over getting in touch with us because he just played with so many different people and was involved with so many different teams over the years.

"I think anyone who was involved with GAA with him wouldn't have a choice; he was always on the phone.

"He worked in Dublin a lot so nearly from the time he got in the car here [Curry] to Dublin he'd be ringing people up and it was always football talk."

Aoife has also urged people to take steps to protect their heart health.

The 27 year-old said her dad JP had regularly had his health monitored because there was a family history,  'but sometimes there is no signs'.

And Aoife insisted people should take precautions such as watching their diet, keeping active and going for frequent check-ups to minimise their risk.

The marketing executive said: "In 30% of cases the first sign of heart disease is in death and it's very much a silent killer.

"So absolutely, it's so important to keep getting checked and probably from a younger age to raise that awareness of keeping your heart healthy and eating right things and looking after yourself.

"My uncle Michael, dad's younger brother, passed away very young as well [aged 45] in 2013.

"And especially after he died, dad did go for regular check-ups and it wasn't that he was ignoring anything.

"Dad was a stout enough man, but he wasn't a big drinker, never smoked and he was always out with football and walking himself."

JP's own father Paddy also died very young - when he was in his early 40s.

The eldest of three siblings said the Duffy family are delighted by the support of the close-knit community who are behind the charity drive.

The virtual fundraiser will cover the distance between all the grounds that played a part in JP's career - including Ruislip in London, where he lived for 10 years.

The entrepreneur's nephew Colin Brennan came up with the idea of virtually covering the huge distance, which will also include Fr O'Hora Park in hi  native Charlestown.

JP played for the local Sarsfields club before he moved to London aged 20 where he lined out for Neasden Gaels and Wembley Gaels.

The fundraiser will also cover the distance to MacHale Park in Castlebar and Croke Park as the CEO of Westel Utilities was a massive Mayo GAA fan.

Aoife added: "We moved to Curry about 20 years ago and even though he's a Mayo man through and through he loved Curry, he loved being part of the parish."

JP played junior football with the Co Sligo GAA club for two years and played with the Sligo Masters (Over 40s) team.

The passionate gael had been in charge of the Curry intermediate men's team when he suddenly died during the Sea2Summit race in Westport.

JP also managed the Curry ladies team - which included Aoife, then 15, as a panelist -to the Connacht Ladies Junior Championship in 2007.

Aoife, who recalled her dad's sudden death on November 19, said: "He took off, he was feeling fine, he didn't really have any symptoms and absolutely nothing that would suggest a [heart attack]."

The annual Sea2Summit endurance race in Co Mayo involves a mixture of a 4km run, a 43km cycle, a 4.5km hike up Croagh Patrick and a 4.5km sea run.

JP had only 12km of a cycle remaining when he started to feel unwell and he decided to leave his bicycle at his sister Pearl's house in Westport and walk.

Aoife added: "He had stopped, he was having a cup of tea and I think heart attacks aren't necessarily what people picture; he more just passed out than anything else.

Aoife said an ambulance rushed to the scene after her dad became seriously ill, "but sadly it just wasn't to be".

She added: "He started to feel dizzy and Pearl is a mental health nurse so she recognised what was happening straight away. It was awful.

"But we can look back and be grateful at least that he was with his sister, something like that could have happened up the mountain so at least he was with someone who loved him."

A member of the Curry GAA club will continuously be running or walking during the 24-hour Run to Ruislip event, with their steps being tracked on the Strava app.

JP's friend Joey Byrne also donated a Dublin five-in-a-row jersey, signed by all of the team, which has already raised €2,000.

To donate, log on to: https://ie.gofundme.com/f/curry-gaa-run-to-ruislip