Two Limerick underage GAA stars host hair-raising fundraiser
FRIENDS Joe Sweeney and Mikey Mackey fit together perfectly – they are both from Adare, have underage hurling county medals with Limerick, study in UL, and have jigsaws cut into their hair!
Joe, aged 20, and Mikey, 25, aren’t afraid to look silly in their quest to support Jiigsaw – the mental health support service for young people aged 12 - 25. Mikey is also sporting a shock of orange hair while Joe has a strawberry design complete with the green stem.
This isn’t Joe’s first time changing his hairstyle. Last year he dyed his hair blue for the blue or bald fundraiser for Pieta House. Although he accepts it probably wasn’t the best idea to do it a week before playing Clare in the U-20 Munster championship! Joe ended up keeping his blue hair do – including playing against Tipp – right up to the final as it was a good luck charm.
This year Joe decided he wanted to support Jigsaw as Mikey works as part of a crisis helpline run by the charity. Joe has received talks through Jigsaw as part of the Limerick academy and in school.
“I had the idea that it would be great craic if we did jigsaw pieces on our heads for the charity. Mikey came back to me with an idea from Padraig O’Hora who was cutting his hair and donating it. He did an Instagram poll asking people to choose a haircut. So we said we would do the same on Instagram for more traction and get people talking
“Mikey said he would do a bad haircut and I said I would do a bad design on top of the jigsaws. One of many sent in was a strawberry and that was the one that won. Mikey has a massive clump of orange hair and I have a strawberry. Once you look stupid people were happy,” laughs Joe.
To ensure those donating get value for money they are not allowed wear hoodies or hats apart from when Joe is working in the Woodlands. They were ably assisted in their unique hair styles by Annie Giltinane, Lena Rock and barber Shane Enright.
“It is starting to grow back and looks really awful but it is for a good cause,” said Joe, who thanks everybody who has donated to their Piece by Piece for Jigsaw GoFundMe page and in person.
To date, over €4,000 has been collected for Jigsaw. And if you see Joe and Mikey out and about in UL – you can’t miss them! – they say feel free to come up and say hello.