Rugby crowds at Lansdowne Road on Saturday gave €100,000 to a bucket collection for a young player who suffered a spinal injury during a game which changed his life.
Victor Connell (25) was said yesterday to be delighted with the response and could not get over the generosity of rugby fans. He suffered a serious injury to his spine during a scrum while playing for Longford RFC in October 2005.
He was left paralysed from the neck down except for a little power in his left arm. Friends at the rugby club set up the Victor Connell Trust Fund to help with his future care and rehabilitation. Saturday's bucket collection was the first fund-raising drive in their campaign.
A delighted fund chairman Mike Mangan said yesterday: "We collected around €100,000. It is fantastic, it must be one of the most successful bucket collections ever."
Mr Connell attended the international between Ireland and Scotland. He is being treated at the National Medical Rehabilitation Centre.
