Each March, UCD RFC proudly hosts its annual Daffodil Day, a heartfelt event dedicated to raising vital funds for Cancer Research. To date, this initiative has generated over €120,000 in support of this crucial cause. Organised in collaboration with the UCD BSc Sport & Exercise Management second-year class, Daffodil Day brings together the entire UCD community in a shared effort to make a difference.
The day is marked by a spirit of generosity and solidarity, as UCD students, staff, and supporters unite to contribute to the fight against cancer.
Read about our 2025 Daffodil Day below.
Dated 25 February, 2025
UCD Rugby will host its annual Daffodil Day collection, in aid of the Irish Cancer Society on Thursday March 6th across the UCD Campus as well as online.
To launch this year’s event in the UCD Bowl, UCD Rugby players past and present from Irish Rugby and Leinster Rugby, members of both the current UCD RFC Men’s and Women’s teams, and second year students from the UCD BSc Sport & Exercise Management programme, were on hand along with Averil Power (CEO of the Irish Cancer Society), Orla Feely (UCD President), Dominic O’Keefe (Director of UCD Student Services), and Barry Sheehan (UCD RFC President). Also supporting the event were Professor Gráinne O’Kane (Pat Mullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at UCD) and Carol Murphy, Partner, Head of Markets EY Ireland. This year's Daffodil Day mascots were Julia and Rosanna Henson.
To date this annual event has raised over €120,000 of vital funds for Cancer Research. On Thursday March 6th UCD Rugby will be asking for your support once again and will be located throughout the UCD campus looking for donations. There will also be an online donation element once more this year, for those who may not be on campus, and we will be asking that you support UCD Rugby in their drive to raise vital funds for Irish Cancer Society.
Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, said: “At the Irish Cancer Society, we are incredibly humbled by the ongoing commitment of UCD Rugby to raise vital funds for Daffodil Day. So far, over €120,000 has been raised by UCD Rugby and those funds mean that we can be there to support cancer patients and their families when they need that support the most. For the 10th year, UCD will go Daffodil yellow on Thursday, 6th of March and we can’t thank the army of volunteers led by UCD Rugby stars past and present, the UCD BSc Sport & Exercise Management second year class and the whole campus enough for their amazing work.”
She continued: “We only receive 5% of our funding from Government so it is through fundraising initiatives like this that we can offer patients and their families our range of free supports such as our Support Line, our Daffodil Centres, free lifts to and from treatment, our free Night Nursing service, childhood cancer grants and so much more. We are also the largest voluntary sector investor in cancer research in Ireland supporting researchers, including in UCD, to make ground-breaking cancer breakthroughs. Please get out on the 6th of March and support UCD Rugby’s Daffodil Day and go all in against cancer.”
UCD President Professor Orla Feely was also supporting the event.
President Feely said: "I fully support UCD Rugby Club’s forthcoming Daffodil Day fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society and I urge as many staff and students as possible to give generously on March 6th to this most worthy of causes."
The event is kindly being organised and run by the UCD BSc Sport & Exercise Management second year class – please visit UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science to learn more about the range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in sports management, coaching and exercise science.
To donate to this year’s fundraising initiative please visit (opens in a new window)https://www.justgiving.com/page/ucdrugbydaffodilday
.png)
To learn more about Daffodil Day, please visit (opens in a new window)cancer.ie
About Daffodil Day
The Irish Cancer Society's national Daffodil Day takes place on Friday March 28th. Whether you want to get involved with your school, company, or in your community, there are lots of ways to go all in and support cancer patients across Ireland. Visit cancer.ie to get involved or learn more.
We are most grateful to the following who volunteered their time, services or materials to the launch: Russell Altman (Wallart.ie - handheld signage), Brian Fitzpatrick (BF Analysis – videography), Julia and Rosanna Henson (mascots), Liz Hanley (Balloon Man – balloon columns), Emmet MacMahon (UCD RFC - drone footage), Des Moran (Café Brava – hospitality catering), Emmet Mullin & David Walsh (UCD Sport Centre – props), Claire Perth (Truly Cupcakes), Dan Sheridan & Nick Elliott (Inpho Photography), Ollie Ennis (Sportsworks – on-pitch printing), and the 2nd Year Sports and Exercise Management students for their incredible contributions.
Photo Credit: Inpho Photography