HEALTH Minister Robin Swann lent his hands to a GAA fundraising game at the weekend, by throwing in the football at Ballinderry Shamrocks on Saturday night.
The former UUP leader, who is a supporter of the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, joined the fundraising efforts of the Conway family, in their bid to raise cash for the Belfast-based charity and the Children's Hospital in Dublin.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill also lent her support by attending the event.
The game between an all-star Ulster GAA select and Ballinderry’s Ulster winning team of 2013, was held to mark the first birthday of Jamie Joe Conway.
The son of Sonia Daly and Ballinderry clubman James Conway, the toddler received life-saving heart surgery earlier this year in Dublin and has made tremendous progress since.
Last month the couple told The Irish News of their heartache and anguish after Jamie Joe, who was born with Down syndrome, was discovered to have a heart defect.
Their fundraising efforts has now raised thousands of pounds for the charities, with donations still being accepted (www.justgiving.com/fundraising/soniadaly-jamesconway).
Under the respective management of Martin McKinless and Paddy Crozier, Saturday night’s charity game saw James Conway’s Ballinderry clubmates take on a who’s who of modern Ulster GAA legends from Monaghan’s Conor McManus to Tyrone’s Brian McGuigan, Enda McGinley and Chris Lawn.
