League of Ireland manager set to sleep outside the night before a big game in aid of homeless charity

Conor O'Grady is joining Focus Ireland's campaign to help the homeless.

By: irishmirror.ie

Oct 08 2024
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League of Ireland manager set

Sligo Rovers legend Conor O’Grady is set to sleep in the tunnel at The Showgrounds on Friday night before managing the club’s women’s team the following day.

A football obsessive, the term eat, sleep football is applicable to a former player who won the FAI Cup with the club in 2010 before turning his attention to coaching when he hung up his boots in 2013. Now head of the Sligo Rovers academy, O'Grady doubles up as interim boss of the club's women’s team.

That’s where he will be on Saturday afternoon, when Sligo host Wexford in the women’s National League. But the tunnel his team will walk down will double up as his bedroom the night before - as O’Grady, and seven other Sligo stalwarts, are sleeping out in the open as an initiative to raise money for homeless charity, Focus Ireland.

O’Grady, 44, said: “We were in Cork last night, playing a game against City in the Women’s National League. And the weather conditions were horrific. At several points we wondered if the game would be abandoned.

“After the game, I mentioned to the players: ‘could you imagine having to sleep out in the weather?’

“It was a reminder to me that we don’t know how lucky we are sometimes. I’m blessed to have a roof over my head.

“Thankfully I have never known any different.

“I take it for granted.

“So this initiative is a reminder to ourselves that we are lucky; it is also a drive to raise much needed funds for a worthy cause.

“A number of us are doing it from the club as well as a couple of people from Focus Ireland.

“When I was asked about it initially, I thought: ‘am I crazy doing something like this? When I think about the fact we have a National League game the next day, it certainly does not equate to good preparation.

“But it is not going to kill me, is it?

“It is a really positive thing to be doing. Shane Crossan, Mr Sligo Rovers, is doing it, too. The club is really driving home the importance of being involved in community work, and this is part of it. As a club we have to immerse ourselves into the community. We have to work hard. And this is part of our overall objective. And it’s for a great cause.”

Anyone who wants to donate to Conor's cause can do so here

https://joinus.focusireland.ie/fundraisers/conorogrady5991/shine-a-light-community

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