Badminton tournament to benefit children in Chernobyl

FOR badminton players across Galway and, indeed, Connacht, this Sunday’s open tournament in Oranmore Community Hall is a chance to test their skills and have some fun. For the children of Chernobyl, though, the money raised on the evening could be the difference between life and death.

In recent times, sportspeople and sporting events have been used to great effect to highlight the plight of the less fortunate . . . Clarinbridge and Galway hurler Alan Kerins being a leading light in developing community and youth leadership projects in Zambia.

Oranmore badminton player Bláthnait Ní Mhurchú may not enjoy the same high profile of Kerins – although she was crowned the 2011 Mayo Rose – but, nonetheless, she is determined to do what she can to raise some cash for the Chernobyl Children’s Project, which she will visit in Belarus later this month.

Indeed, Ní Mhurchú is one of 14 Roses, including 2011 Rose of Tralee winner Tara Talbot, who will make the trip to Chernobyl to volunteer in the Adi Roche aided Vesnova Children’s Mental Asylum between February 13 and 17.

In all, the Roses, along with two travelling escorts, hope to raise €20,000 which will go directly to assist the children. “We will be classed as medical volunteers for the week, spending time with the children and working in three different units, including the high dependency unit,” says Ní Mhurchú of her impending role.

“We will mainly be helping the nursing staff in the units there. So, we have to bring over medical supplies with us, like Sudocrem. The children suffer a lot because they are sitting around all day and they get a lot of bed sores and that. So, we will be just aids to the nurses there.”

Ní Mhurchú, a Client Relationship Manager for her brother Declan’s healthcare recruitment company Servisource, says their trip will also coincide with the opening of a brand new unit for abandoned babies. “It was built by Irish builders and there is going to be a big woo-hah around that.”

When it came to organising this weekend’s fundraiser, the Belmullet native, following discussion with Oranmore Badminton Club, decided that an open tournament would be a great way to generate some finance, have some fun and raise awareness about Chernobyl Children International.

Ní Mhurchú has always loved the game, although there was a 10 year period where she did not play at. “When I was 16, I won the Mayo U-16 singles and then I never went back again until I joined Oranmore in October 2010. I suppose, after that U-16 tournament, I started the Leaving Cert [at St. Brendan’s College in Belmullet] and then there was college [in Ballyfermot].”

So, what prompted her to return to the game? “Well, I had the racket! The old shaped one!” she laughs. “I used to work in Dundalk, so when I moved to Galway, I suppose it was a new start. My sister had a friend who played for Oranmore and he gave me the lead there. So, I walked through the doors in October (2010) and they haven’t been able to get rid of me since,” she smiles.

Certainly, it has been a productive marriage, with Ní Mhurchú landing a number of titles in the name of Oranmore. “Yeah, last year, we won the Galway County Mixed, Stephen Lally and I. That was Grade 10. I also won the Connacht doubles with Collette Gannon (Letterfrack) and the mixed doubles with Stephen (Grade D). I was also runner-up [to Caroline Pryce of Galway Lawn Tennis Club] in the Connacht singles, 2011.”

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.