Driver Declan Boyle and friends to host fundraiser for ‘Caoimhe's Fight to Walk'

Some of Donegal’s leading motorsport figures have rowed in behind a fundraising drive to help a young girl walk.

When news filtered out about 11-year-old Caoimhe Darcy’s need for life changing surgery, driver Declan Boyle of the McCafferty’s Bar Group offered his bar as the place to run a Fundraising and Auction Night for ‘Caoimhe's Fight to Walk,’ which will take place this Saturday from 7pm in McCafferty’s, Donegal Town.

Caoimhe, who lives in Ballintra, was born with Cerebral Palsy which has affected her legs mainly. She has worked tirelessly for the last 18 months and has gone from being a full time wheelchair user to using a walker. She has always done it with a smile and never gives up.

Caoimhe has the chance to receive a life changing surgery known as SDR, in which they will relieve the spasticity in her legs through spinal surgery. She has officially been accepted as a great candidate by world renowned Surgeon Dr. T. S. Park in St Louis Children's Hospital, Missouri for this life changing surgery SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy). This surgery will relieve the everyday pain she experiences and help her immensely in progressing toward her milestones and, her big wish, walking independently.

Friends and family of Caoimhe's have organised a fundraising target of €150,000 with a GoFundme Page already at €73,000, which can be found here.

Caoimhe's father is a former rally driver, Stuart Darcy, who was the first ever Donegal winner of the Billy Coleman Award and is known for his FDR Cars sponsored cars.

He said: “We are delighted to announce that we have a motorsport themed auction on the night with some Auction items that have never been seen before and may never be available again.”

For auction on the night are a Navi seat with Kevin Eves in this year’s Circuit of Kerry Rally. A Test with WRC Driver Craig Breen in any of his personal rally cars; an entry for this year's Donegal Rally; an entry for this year’s Killarney Historic Rally; a seat in this year's Rally Legends with Paolo Diana; Free RSA Entries for Life; a Cas-Kart Arrive and drive Buggy / Speed Car hire; a private tour of Donagh Kelly’s museum together with a helicopter ride and lunch for five lucky bidders and Rory Quinn will make an apartment for four be available in New York City.

WRC Irish Rally Driver Craig Breen has organised with Hyundai Motorsport a full WRC Finland Pre Test in this year's Hyundai WRC Rally 1 Car. This has never been done before and organisers are accepting phone bids on the night and they are expecting bids from all over the world.

“We as a family with the support of our friends and family have been so inspired by Caoimhe's determination to qualify for this life changing surgery that at this point it feels surreal that it is happening that, Caoimhe, our little girl may get a life without her wheelchair,” Caoimhe's mother Noreen Darcy said. “The support since we announced our fund raising campaign has been overwhelming with support coming from all over the world. The rally community around the world and everyone connected with that goes that extra mile for every good cause over and over again.”