IRISH CONNECTION:TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to the late Paul Newman, "a true friend of Ireland", for his work to establish a camp for sick children in Kildare.
Newman set up the first Hole in the Wall Camp for sick children in the US in 1988. It was designed to provide activities and fun for children with serious illnesses to help them regain confidence and self-esteem. There are now 14 camps operating world wide.
In 1994, he came to Ireland and established a camp at Barretstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare.
President Mary McAleese said Newman had been a true friend to Ireland and had made a huge commitment to children with serious illness through his camps, which were designed to assist and bring joy to the lives of ill children.
"He took a particular interest in the camp he established on the Barretstown estate, in partnership with the Irish Government in 1994," the President said.
"Paul Newman rightly achieved fame for his performances as an actor, however, he will always have a special place in the memory of Irish people for his inspirational role at Barretstown over the last 14 years."
Mary Conway, acting CEO of Barretstown, said staff, volunteers, former campers and supporters of Barretstown were extremely saddened by the news of Newman's death.
"Paul was a screen legend, an icon of huge proportions, but above all for us he was the man who gave Barretstown its start," Ms Conway said.
They were very grateful that Newman came to Ireland and convinced the Government to give him the estate for just £1 rent a year.
"Since then, Barretstown has become the only centre for therapeutic recreation in Europe, a place where children with serious illness and their families can come to stay and take part in challenging activities which help rebuild their self-esteem and confidence," she said.
"We wish to extend our sincere sympathies to Paul's family, some of whom we met when he visited Barretstown in 2004 for our 10th anniversary."
Ms Conway said Newman raced at the Mondello circuit to help raise funds for the charity, and played guitar with The Edge and Paul McCartney.
"Most important of all to him, he met children whose lives were changed by a visit to our special camp in Co Kildare," she said.
She added that this year, 1,900 children had so far visited the camp.
