Hockey Club unveil plaque in memory of Richie Doyle
Members of the Doyle family with Irish international and Bray Hockey Player Mary Goode and Bray Hockey Club Captain Lauren Kelly beside the defibrillator and plaque at Bray Hockey Club.
Wednesday February 24 2010
BRAY HOCKEY club unveiled a plaque recently in memory of the late Richie Doyle, who died suddenly in 2005 at the age of 27.
Richie was a sales rep and a graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology, who lived with his family in Bray. He was a very keen soccer player, he jogged and walked the dog regularly, and he was very careful about what he ate.
In April 2005 just after he finished a game of soccer in Loreto, he collapsed and died at just 27 years of age. Since his death his family has raised funds for the purchase and distribution of 14 defibrillators for local sports clubs and secondary schools around Bray.
One of these defibrillators is now on display in the changing rooms in Loreto. During National Heart Week, a plaque was unveiled by Bray Hockey Club in support of the Doyle family and in recognition of all their hard work in continuing to heighten awareness of SCD in Ireland.
'Raising enough money to fund 14 defibrillators around Bray is a wonderful legacy to the memory of Richie,' said Kathy O'Toole of Bray Hockey Club. 'He would be so proud of you all and what you have achieved.'
Richie's Sister, Corina thanked the Hockey Club for organising the plaque and said 'When something so tragic happens we felt it was important to do something positive and we would like to thank all those people who helped in raising the money to fund the defibrillators. We miss him so much but we know one of the defibrillators has already saved a life.'
