Where does all the money raised from The 2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open go?
By Paul Kelly
Rory McIlroy and his charitable foundation – the Rory Foundation - is dedicated to supporting children's charities around the world and the Irish Open has become a vital cog in raising both recognition and funds.
“I started the Foundation in 2013 and began giving my support to a number of children’s charities. In that time I’ve met a lot of children and their families living and coping with so much hardship that I’m just so delighted to be involved - and the more I see, the more I want to do,” said Rory.
Three children’s charities in the Kildare-Dublin region will benefit from this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. The three charities are Barretstown, the Jack & Jill Foundation and LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.
“I am delighted my Foundation is again hosting this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. This is a great platform to showcase what we do for children’s charities,” added Rory.
“I’m honoured to support three very worthy charities all based close to The K Club. To give a little something back is very important to me, especially when I can offer support to help children and their families. I can’t wait to get back to Ireland and raise as much money as possible for Barretstown, the Jack & Jill Foundation and LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.”
The money raised by the Rory Foundation will be divided between the three charities to help support specific projects identified by the charities.
“We will raise money for the charities selected by Rory’s Foundation in a number of innovative ways. A percentage of all ticket sales for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will go to the Foundation,” said Barry Funston, Chief Executive of the Rory Foundation.
Earlier this month the Foundation hosted an evening with Rory in the Convention Centre Dublin on Tuesday May 17, with proceeds going to the Foundation.
In 2013, the Rory Foundation committed £1 million to the Cancer Fund for Children, helping the registered charity to build the Cancer Fund for Children’s Short Break Centre. Named Daisy Lodge, the Centre, officially opened by Rory in October 2014, is the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland and provides welcome breaks for as many as 500 families a year living with cancer.
The Rory Foundation also pledged £250,000 to Mencap NI in 2015, which has gone towards a new facility in Belfast, due to open early next year, which will provide life-changing support to children with a learning disability and their families. A further donation of up to £250,000 in match funding has also been pledged by the Rory Foundation in 2016 – if the same amount can be raised by Mencap NI and its supporters by the end of this year.