UCD RFC & Irish Cancer Society

Ireland Rugby Stars Return to UCD to Launch on Campus Daffodil Day in aid of the Irish Cancer Society

Dated 27 February, 2026

_{Back row (L-R): Hugo Keenan, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O’Brien.  Front row (L-R): Evelyn Donnelly (UCD RFC Women’s Captain, Willie Burns (UCD RFC President), Edel Shovlin (Acting CEO Irish Cancer Society), Prof. Grainne O’Kane (UCD Conway Institute), Dan Barron (UCD RFC Men’s Captain), Robert Henson (EY, club sponsor). Photo credit: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile.}

UCD Rugby stars past and present gathered in the UCD Bowl for the official launch of the on campus Daffodil Day, in aid of the Irish Cancer Society, which will take place on Thursday, 5 March across the UCD campus as well as online.

The annual fundraiser, entering its 11th year in 2026, has so far raised over €190,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. The on campus Daffodil Day is led by UCD Rugby and organised each year by the second-year students in the BSc Sport & Exercise Management programme.

For John Hammond of UCD Rugby and founder of UCD’s on campus Daffodil Day, it is an initiative close to his heart. Turning 80 this year, the UCD Rugby stalwart has been a volunteer driver for the Irish Cancer Society’s Patient Travel Service since 2012. Like every family across Ireland, his own has been affected by cancer. 

John Hammond, UCD Rugby, said: “Like most families, my own has been affected by cancer. In the last two years, I’ve unfortunately lost two sisters to cancer. When we started Daffodil Day on campus just over ten years ago, we never thought we’d raise this much money. Being impacted so directly and so recently by cancer certainly makes raising the funds all the more important.

I’m delighted each and every year to see the Ireland players come back to give their time so generously to help us raise as much funds as we can so that the Irish Cancer Society’s free services can reach as many people as possible.”

To launch this year’s event in the UCD Bowl, UCD Rugby players past and present from Irish Rugby and Leinster Rugby Hugo Keenan, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose, Ciaran Frawley, James Ryan, Tommy O’Brien, Dan Barron (UCD RFC Men’s Captain), Evelyn Donnelly (UCD RFC Women’s Captain), and second-year students from the BSc Sport & Exercise Management programme, were on hand along with Edel Shovlin (Acting CEO of the Irish Cancer Society), Willie Burns (UCD RFC President), Robert Henson (EY, club sponsor) and Prof. Grainne O’Kane (UCD Conway Institute).

Edel Shovlin, Acting CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, said: “Each year, we are blown away by the dedication and commitment by all of those connected to UCD Rugby’s Daffodil Day efforts. We are incredibly grateful to John Hammond, his army of volunteers, UCD Rugby stars past and present and the students for their amazing work.

Last year, over €70,000 was raised by UCD Rugby, bringing the total amount raised to over €190,000. We can’t thank UCD Rugby enough for this incredible support. Those vital funds mean we can be there to support patients and their families through our range of services such as free lifts to treatment, free counselling, free Night Nursing care and so much more. These funds also enable us to invest in groundbreaking and life-saving cancer research, bringing us closer to a day when nobody dies from cancer. We’re asking people to get out and support UCD Rugby’s Daffodil Day and turn the campus yellow on Thursday the 5th of March.”

UCD President Professor Orla Feely was also present earlier in the week, where the two club captains and student organisers formally presented her with her daffodil pin in support of the campaign.

_{(L-R) Donnacha Boylan (BSc Sport & Exercise Management student), Dan Barron (UCD RFC Men’s Captain), Professor Orla Feely (UCD President), Evelyn Donnelly (UCD RFC Women’s Captain), Claudia Comellas (BSc Sport & Exercise Management student).}

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 5th to this most worthy of causes."

Thank you to our supporters for their contributions to the launch: Russell Altman ((opens in a new window)Wallart.ie - signage), Des Moran (Café Brava – hospitality catering), Brendan Moran (Sportsfile Photography), Clubhouse Bar (hospitality catering), and the Sports and Exercise Management students for their incredible contributions.

About Daffodil Day

The Irish Cancer Society's national Daffodil Day takes place on Friday, 20 March 2026. 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 (opens in a new window)cancer.ie to get involved or learn more.

Where your donations go:

• €30 can help provide transport for a patient to and from their chemotherapy treatment using the Irish Cancer Society’s Transport Service.
• €50 can help provide vital clinical equipment for an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse. 
• €60 will cover the cost of a counselling session to help a person cope with a cancer diagnosis in their life. 
• €65 will help pay for the cost of one hour of Night Nursing, providing end-of-life care to a patient in their own home.
• €505 will help cover the cost of one night of Night Nursing, providing end-of-life care to a patient in their own home.

For more information about Daffodil Day visit (opens in a new window)https://www.cancer.ie/daffodilday.