On Saturday, August 2nd, the heart of Balbriggan will beat a little louder as the community gathers at Glebe North Football Club for the Fran Malone Memorial Cup — a charity football match that’s more than just a game. It’s a tribute, a celebration, and a rallying cry for support, all rolled into one.

This year’s match is in proud support of CRITICAL CFR Balbriggan, (https://criticalcharity.ie/), a volunteer-led emergency medical response group that’s redefining what it means to serve. These are the people who drop everything when a call comes in — trained responders who act as an extension of the National Ambulance Service, racing to the scene of cardiac arrests, heart attacks, strokes, and choking incidents. Their mission is simple but profound: to save lives.

The volunteers of CRITICAL CFR Balbriggan are community locals. They’ve undergone rigorous training, Garda vetting, and are preparing to launch August 2025.

Leading up to the CRITICAL CFR Balbriggan launch, the most ambitious and largest scale community project in the town’s history, COMMUNITY HEARTS, a masterclass in grassroots community action with the installation of residential defibrillators for every estate in the town. Ensuring all residents of the second most densely populated town in Ireland are within 3-5 minutes of their nearest accessible defibrillator.

The Fran Malone Memorial Cup, just like Fran, is dedicated to helping others, the football match for charity carries forward Fran’s legacy of compassion and generosity. Last year’s match raised over €8,000 for hospice care. This year, every euro raised will go toward equipping CRITICAL responders with the tools they need to save lives.

So come down to Glebe North on August 2nd. Cheer on your local legends, meet the volunteers, and be part of something bigger than football. Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply show up — your presence matters.

Let’s make this match one to remember. For Fran. For Balbriggan. For all of us.

Dedicated fund-raising page: https://criticalcfr.enthuse.com/cf/fran-malone-memorial-cup. Facebook Page for CRITICAL CFR- Balbriggan. www.criticalcharity.ie/