Tang GAA backing CJ's Rainbow in support of local woman and family

Tang GAA club is holding a family fun day this Sunday, July 28 and the event will support a cause very close to the hearts of everyone in the local community.

Niamh Egan, a native of The Pigeons, and her husband Joe McCann lost their brave young son, C.J. (Christopher John) McCann, last year to illness. He had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.

C.J. McCann of Banada, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon passed away peacefully in the arms of his proud, heartbroken parents, Joe and Niamh, on October 15, 2023. Adored by his big sisters, Róisín and Clódagh, C.J. will be forever loved and missed by his grandad Christy and mamó Greta, aunts Fiona, Kathleen and Emma, uncles, Seán, Keith and Richard, cousins, John, Senan, Aoibh and Fiadh, extended family, neighbours and friends.

Niamh and Joe have organised CJ’s Rainbow Charity Cycle to raise awareness of the extremely difficult challenges involved in dealing with childhood cancer, and to raise money for two charities that helped them in their own traumatic journey, Hand in Hand and Oscar's Kids.

CJ’s Rainbow Charity Cycle will see a group of volunteers take on a 619km cycle from Malin Head in Donegal to Mizen Head in Cork from August 22 to August 26. Among those who will embark on the gruelling cycle are CJ's dad Joe, Niamh's brother Seán Egan (who has played for Tang for several years) and former Tang footballer Joe Conlon.

On the CJ’s Rainbow iDonate page, Niamh and Joe outlined the background to the setting up of the charity cycle.

"CJ’s Rainbow Charity Cycle is all about raising funds for two amazing charities that have helped our family enormously since our childhood cancer journey began. Our little boy, C.J., was diagnosed with ATRT, a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer, in November 2022. After almost a year of treatment, teaching us life lessons every day through his captivating smile, C.J. passed away peacefully in our arms on October 15th (2023). This cycle will remember the bravery and strength of our little boy, while helping families through their journey," they said.

Now living in Ballaghaderreen (geographically in Roscommon, but where GAA allegiances lie with Mayo), Niamh is a secondary school teacher in Mercy SS, Ballymahon, where she has been heavily involved in coaching football teams, and she previously worked as the GAA's handball development officer.

Tang GAA wanted to do something which would allow the local community to show solidarity to Niamh and her family, and therefore it was decided that the family fun day would support the CJ's Rainbow fundraising effort.

The Tang GAA family fun day on Sunday will start with mass (10am) at Joe Fox Memorial Park, followed by a range of fun activities from 11am. These will be followed later by evening entertainment, including music, a barbecue and raffle at 7pm in Murray's, Maghera.

There is no charge to attend the family fun day but donation boxes will be available if people to wish to make a donation to CJ's Rainbow.

People can donate to CJ's Rainbow via the iDonate page - https://www.idonate.ie/event/cjsrainbow

CJ's Rainbow Charity Cycle has a fundraising target of €100,000 and, at the time of writing, over €80,000 had been raised.

"We hope to raise €100,000 to help other families like us who are trying to cope and juggle life in the challenging world of childhood cancer," said Niamh and Joe.