‘We're very proud and proud of Dillon too, who maybe had something to do with it from upstairs' – Father of Dillon Quirke reacts to Tipperary win
His family established the Dillon Quirke Foundation in his memory to raise awareness of SADS, funding thousands of cardiac screenings for young people involved in sport last year.
Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, his father Dan Quirke said there are "mixed emotions" in the aftermath of the Tipperary win, despite being 'delighted that the guys performed so well' in what he described as 'a super exhibition of hurling'.
The players visited their late teammate's parents before visiting his grave on Friday evening.
"They are lovely young men, we are delighted for what has happened – it's great for Tipperary. Obviously, we've mixed emotions,' Mr Quirke said.
"I shed a tear Saturday night myself when I went to bed. It wasn't that Dillon wasn't in Croke Park yesterday, it was more a case of Dillon wasn't with us today and he won't be with us tomorrow. It's been difficult, but it's been great for Tipperary.'
Mr Quirke and his wife, Hazel, did not travel to Dublin to watch the match in Croke Park yesterday, having found the semi-final 'very emotional and very difficult'.
"We just felt it would be easier to watch it on TV, even though we were shouting our heads off while watching it. We just thought it might be easier and it worked out that way I think.'
As he collected the Liam MacCarthy cup yesterday, Tipperary captain Ronan Maher said the team carried the spirit of their teammate 'every step of the way'.
"You were in the dressing-room, you were on the field of play, you were in our hearts … and we hope we did you and your family proud today.'
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Mr Quirke described the Tipperary team as a 'magnificent bunch of guys' and that his son 'was on their shoulder yesterday'.
"We probably felt it too as a family, to watch these guys perform at their best it meant an awful lot to us. We're thrilled as a family. Both Hazel and the two girls and myself, we're very proud and proud of Dillon too, who maybe had something to do with it from upstairs as I call it."
The foundation carried out 10,000 screenings for children last year and hope to do the same this year, hoping to raise awareness of SADS in the process.
Every year, 100 young people under 40 die of SADS in Ireland due to an undetected heart defect.
Last year, the foundation managed to detect cardiac abnormalities in 243 of the 10,128 young people it screened.
He said the work is 'saving lives', adding: 'We're delighted to do it, and it would be a super legacy to Dillon in fairness, better than any All-Ireland final for Dillon as a legacy would be saving human lives, and it's been magnificent for us, the foundation.
'Even though at the minute the whole thing is very emotional, but look, we're making a difference for other parents and we're just doing the best we can.'
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