10,128 young people have received a cardiac screening through a foundation set up to honour a Tipperary hurler.

Dillon Quirke died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome in August 2022.

The hurler’s father, Dan, set up the Dillon Quirke Foundation to honour his son.

Since its establishment, the foundation has raised nearly €2 million to screen young people for heart conditions across Ireland.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Quirke said he did not believe they would reach this many people so quickly when he first set up the foundation.

"When we started this, we didn’t know where we were going - but with the help of Advanced Medical Services in Cork, we're proud to say that we've screened in 26 counties," Mr Quirke said.

"240 of the teenagers that were screened needed further investigation. Of that number, about 20 had serious problems, and five were life-threatening.

"That's a huge number."

Legacy

Mr Quirke said the foundation is a "brilliant" way for his son's legacy to live on.

"I'm sure Dillon's looking down on us with a big smile on his face - he'd obviously be very proud of us," he said.

"We have something to remember Dillon for - he'll never be forgotten."

The work of the foundation is a "great solace" to Mr Quirke's grief.

"When you can help other people, it does give you a great feeling that we are making a big difference to people’s lives," he said.

Donations

The foundation is reliant on public donations and Mr Quirke thanked those who have contributed.

"We’re so thankful of the support we’ve got all over the country from different communities and different sports bodies," he said.

"Going forward, we’ll need continuous support - we've raised nearly €2 million so far, which is amazing in such a short space of time."

Mr Quirke also thanked the team at the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

"We have a great team and when you've good people involved, you get results."

You can learn more about the Dillon Quirke Foundation here.

Feature image shows Dillon Quirke following a hurling match in May, 2022.