Just the ticket! Healthcare workers to get free admission to Kilkenny senior hurling final at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday

Healthcare Workers will receive free admission to the Kilkenny senior hurling county final in UPMC Nowlan Park this Sunday.

The initiative, a joint venture between UPMC and Kilkenny GAA, is a small thank you to healthcare workers recognition of how they served the community throughout the pandemic.

To receive free entry to the match, which throws-in at 1.30pm on Sunday, healthcare workers are asked to email [email protected] with their details of where they work, their phone number. A member of the team will be in touch with them with their tickets.

"UPMC are delighted to support free access to the SHC County Final on Sunday for all healthcare workers," said David Beirne, senior vice president of UPMC International and managing director of UPMC in Ireland.

"UPMC have established deep roots in Kilkenny, through UPMC Aut Even Hospital, our recently opened UPMC Global Technology Operations Centre in MacDonagh Junction and our partnership with Kilkenny GAA through UPMC Nowlan Park," added Beirne, no stranger to the Park from his days hurling with Dicksboro and the Cats. "As an organisation with almost 900 healthcare workers, we know how hard they have worked throughout the pandemic and this initiative is a small token of our appreciation to them and our colleagues across the Irish health system."

The sentiment was echoed by Jimmy Walsh, chairman of Kilkenny GAA Co Board.

"Everyone in Kilkenny GAA acknowledges the sacrifice our healthcare workers have made for the wider community over the past 20 months," he said. "We are delighted to partner with UPMC and offer them free entry to the senior hurling county final on Sunday in UPMC Nowlan Park.

"It goes without saying that everyone in Kilkenny is excited to have live finals back in the home of hurling, and this in a large part is down to the trojan work of our healthcare workers," he added. "To that end, and recognising their role in opening society, we look forward to seeing them there on Sunday. It is important to note that all our games take place within public health guidelines."