Wexford Women to Abseil Croke Park for Beaumont Hospital Kidney Ward
Three Wexford women, known collectively as "The Five Kidneys," are preparing to undertake a charity abseil from the roof of Croke Park on 10 July 2026. The challenge is being held to raise vital funds for St Damien's Ward at Beaumont Hospital, a specialist unit dedicated to the care of kidney patients. The fundraising effort is led by Rosslare Harbour resident Trish Boyce, who, along with her friends Catherine Murphy and Celine Treacy, is participating to express gratitude for the exceptional care provided to both her and her father at the ward.
The Challenge
The event is part of the Beaumont Hospital Foundation's 2026 Abseil Challenge, which will see participants descend 100 feet from the iconic Hogan Stand down to the pitch side of the national stadium. The challenge is not for the faint-hearted — Croke Park's Hogan Stand is one of the most recognisable structures in Irish sport, and the descent from its roof offers a dramatic and vertiginous experience. For the three Wexford women, however, the physical challenge is secondary to the cause they are supporting.
The group launched their "The Five Kidneys" fundraising campaign — a name that reflects the combined kidney history of the three participants and their families — to support the ward's ongoing work and to give back to the medical team that has supported them through difficult times. The initiative has garnered significant local support in County Wexford, with a community coffee morning held on 5 July in Rosslare Harbour helping to boost donations ahead of the main event.
A Personal Connection
Trish Boyce spoke movingly about her motivation for taking on the challenge, highlighting the deeply personal connection to the cause. She praised the "tremendous special care and attention" that she and her father received at St Damien's Ward and expressed a strong desire to support the unit's future work. The ward, which provides specialist nephrology services to patients from across the country, has been a lifeline for the Boyce family, and the abseil is their way of saying thank you.
Catherine Murphy and Celine Treacy, who are joining Trish on the descent, share similar connections to the ward and to the broader experience of kidney disease within their families and community. Their decision to take on the challenge together reflects the bonds of friendship and solidarity that have sustained them through difficult times, and their collective determination to make a difference for future patients.
Beaumont Hospital Foundation
The Beaumont Hospital Foundation runs the annual abseil challenge as one of its flagship fundraising events, bringing together participants from across Ireland who are motivated by personal connections to the hospital and its services. The funds raised go directly to supporting patient care, research, and the development of specialist services at Beaumont, one of Ireland's leading teaching hospitals.
St Damien's Ward, the specific beneficiary of the Wexford women's fundraising, provides care for patients with a wide range of kidney conditions, from chronic kidney disease to acute renal failure. The ward also supports patients undergoing dialysis and those preparing for or recovering from kidney transplants. The specialist care provided there is of the highest standard, but like all hospital services, it depends on a combination of state funding and charitable support to maintain and develop its facilities and programmes.
Community Support
The response to the fundraising campaign in Rosslare Harbour and the wider Wexford community has been heartening. The coffee morning on 5 July drew a strong turnout, with local businesses and individuals contributing generously to the cause. The fundraising page for the group will remain active throughout the summer, allowing for continued contributions from those who wish to support the vital services provided by the hospital.
The story of "The Five Kidneys" has resonated with people across the county and beyond, touching on themes of community, gratitude, and the desire to give back. It is a reminder that some of the most powerful acts of fundraising are driven not by grand gestures but by personal experience and a heartfelt desire to help others who are going through what you or your loved ones have faced.
The Abseil
On the morning of 10 July, Trish, Catherine, and Celine will don their harnesses, step to the edge of the Hogan Stand, and begin their descent. It will be a moment of exhilaration, nerves, and no doubt a few tears — but above all, it will be a moment of pride. Pride in what they are doing for St Damien's Ward, pride in the community that has supported them, and pride in the bonds of friendship that have brought them to this point.
Anyone wishing to support the group's fundraising effort can do so through the Beaumont Hospital Foundation's website, where the "The Five Kidneys" fundraising page will remain open throughout the summer.
