23 May 2025
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
The Cork volunteer fundraising Branches of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is appealing for support for Guide Dog Day, sponsored by Park2Travel, at their collections across the county on Friday 23 May including:
- Bantry Town
- O’Keefe’s SuperValu Bantry
- Collin’s SuperValu Carrigaline (May 24)
- SuperValu Cobh
- Cork City Centre
- SuperValu Kinsale
- Midleton Town Centre
- Clonakilty Town
- Mallow Town
- Macroom Town
- Wilton Shopping Centre
The charity’s ambassador is famous Cork born footballer and manager Roy Keane
Launched in recent weeks by the charity’s ambassador Roy Keane, Guide Dog Day will see communities across the country come together through fundraising collections on May 23rd, a Take the Lead Walk in Ballincollig Regional Park on Sunday 25th May at 11am (7 walks nationwide), and a special competition to win dinner with the football legend. (Tickets available only at GuideDogs.ie. Tickets cost €10 or 6 for €50. Rules apply).
All funds raised will go directly towards transforming lives by providing highly trained service dogs, giving people with visual impairments, children with autism, and students greater independence and mobility.
Costing over €5 million a year to run the organisation and with only 15% of funding coming from the government, the charity relies heavily on the generosity and support of the general public, corporates and gifts in wills. All services provided by the charity are free of charge and the breeding, training and care of one dog costs €53,000. This year the charity is aiming to change the lives of 70 families.
Joining Roy Keane at the launch was Assistance Dog Keano, who has had a profound impact on the Ahern family from Cork.
Niamh Ahern, whose son Aaron is partnered with Keano, said, “Aaron is so content with Keano by his side—his confidence and independence have soared. Family outings, which were once overwhelming, are now filled with joy. Walks, trips to restaurants, even visits to the barbers—these are now positive, shared experiences. Keano has opened doors to a new world for us. We never leave home without him. He has changed all our lives, and we’re incredibly grateful to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.”
Tim O’Mahony, CEO of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, underscored the growing urgency for support:
“Last year, thanks to the incredible generosity shown on Guide Dog Day, we successfully created many life-changing partnerships — matching 48 Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs and placing 5 Community Dogs in schools and facilities nationwide. But the need is growing fast. It costs approximately €53,000 to breed, train, and care for just one service dog. This year, we’re calling on the public to help us reach our goal of transforming the lives of 70 more families across Ireland. Over the next decade, the number of school-aged children with autism is expected to rise by over 30%. That means the demand for our service dogs will far surpass our current capacity. Without increased support, we won’t be able to keep up. Together, we can ensure that no family is left waiting for the life-changing impact of a service dog.”
Current status:
• 3 litters born so far in 2025 as part of the growing Breeding Programme
• 105 puppies currently being puppy raised by dog lovers in homes across Ireland
• 38 pups undergoing formal training who will hopefully be successfully matched in the coming months.
• 50 families on the waiting list for an Assistance Dog
Park2Travel – Parking for Pups
As part of its sponsorship, Park2Travel is donating €1 from every parking booking made in May at the newly opened 6000+ space car park, located just 1.9km or 6 minutes, from Dublin airport, and with a free 24/7 shuttle service operating to both terminals 1 and 2 every 12 minutes. Customers can prebook their parking online at park2travel.ie and can secure a space anywhere from 2 hours to a whole year in advance. In addition, Park2Travel is investing in accessibility training for all its Dublin-based staff, while shuttle bus drivers will undertake specialist training to ensure they can provide the best possible assistance to Guide Dog and Assistance Dog owners when they’re travelling to and from the terminals.
Neil Cunningham, Managing Director at Park2Travel, commented, “We are delighted to support Guide Dog Day and help raise vital funds to support their fantastic work. Our team will be supporting collections and walks across the country. By investing in accessibility, we hope to ensure that all users, Guide Dog and Assistance Dog owners, can travel with confidence and ease when using our facility.“