Great Punchestown result for kidney charity

The 27th running of the hugely successful Punchestown Charity Race saw one of the closest finishes to the Punchestown National Hunt Racing Festival ever.

Michael O’Connor and Pires got up on the line to beat former Wexford Footballer Redmond Barry and Mr Steadfast into second place, and Chapter Seven with Kerri Lyons, daughter of Race Horse Trainer Ger Lyons into third.

It really was the perfect finale as the rain stopped, the sun came out and the crowds stayed on in their thousands to support the 25 brave amateurs who took part in this 1 mile and 7 furlongs flat race.

Charity Race Organiser James Nolan was thrilled with the day which will see €150,000 donated to a new Renal Ward for Temple Street Children’s Hospital along with the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund supporting other several other kidney related projects.

The Punchestown Charity Race which he started back in 1990 has raised over €1.3 million to date and the request was very clear yesterday: please carry an Organ Donor.

The years 2015 & 2016 are very important for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, which has committed to invest over €275,000 in various kidney related projects:

€150,000 committed to support a new renal unit at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin.
€100,000 committed to support two kidney related research projects under the guidance of the Irish Nephrology Society.
€20,000 committed to continue our Art Therapy programmes for Dialysis Patients in Tallaght & Waterford Dialysis Units.
€3,000 committed to our Sports Programme for Dialysis & Transplant Patients.
€5,000 committed to a new Patient to Patient support service.