Suzanne Ryan, Colin Mc Keon Memorial 5-A-Side Tournament Organiser receives Unsung Hero Award

Suzanne Ryan, organiser of the annual Colin Mc Keon Memorial 5 - A - Side Soccer match received an Unsung Hero's Award for her incredible work organising the Colin Mc Keon Memorial 5-A-Side soccer match.

Unsung Heroes are people of all ages and from every community in Dublin City who give their time, energy and skills for free to lend a helping hand to others. Unsung Heroes can be those who contribute formally, though volunteer organisations in their community, or those who contribute informally, through simply being a good neighbour, or friend to someone needing a helping hand, or a listening ear. For 12 years, Suzanne Ryan and Paul Irwin have been unsung heroes of community fundraising for the Asthma Society.

Each year they organise, along with other unsung heroes who help out in a variety of ways through organising and participating and fundraising,  the Colin McKeon Memorial Tournament, a 5-a-side soccer tournament.  The tournament is held to honour the memory of their friend Colin, who sadly died of an asthma attack twelve years ago on the 14th July. The tournament is a week long event and in 2008, 32 teams took part.  It was established as a way for family and friends, and indeed those who never knew Colin, to remember him and his love of football, while raising money for a very good cause.  All proceeds from the week go to The Asthma Society of Ireland.

In 2008 they raised nearly €9,000 from their community soccer tournament, but just as importantly they have raised awareness of asthma in their local community in a positive and inspiring way.

Colin's memory lives on through this event and the asthma awareness that the organising committee has created in over 10 years of volunteering and community fundraising is beyond measure.  Their goals are to remember Colin, to help prevent other unnecessary asthma deaths and to get family and friends together for an event that involves the entire Portmarnock community.

For more information on the Colin Mc Keon Memorial 5-A-Side Soccer match go to;
http://www.asthmasociety.ie/What-we-can-do/Colin-McKeon-History.html