Perfect pair Kieran & Caffie recognised for fundraising efforts for Irish Guide Dogs
Mayo Branch volunteers Kieran Davidson (with Guide Dog Caffie) and Rosaleen Heverin receiving their recognition certificates from the Lord and Lady Mayoress and IGD Ambassador, Shane Casey at the Irish Guide Dogs for the blind Open Day 2025. Pic: Irish Guide Dogs/Brian Lougheed Photography
A visually impaired north Mayo man has received national recognition for his fundraising efforts for Irish Guide Dogs for the blind.
Kieran Davidson’s life was forever changed after a traumatic accident 11 years ago left him with serious injuries and lasting implications for his eyesight. However, meeting his guide dog Caffie has given Kieran some quality of life back.
He told the Western People about meeting and getting to know Caffie, and how this inspired him to give back to the Irish Guide Dogs.
“I went down to Cork for assessments. The first dog walked too fast for me and it was the same with the second dog. Then I met Caffie, and she was still too fast but slowed down for me when I would say, ‘steady’,” he said.
“I trained with her for three weeks because they have to teach the dog about my needs, to do what I needed to do.”
Once every quarter every year since, Kieran has placed money boxes in shops around Crossmolina for the Irish Guide Dogs and people have given generously.
At the organisations annual get together in August, Kieran received a recognition certificate from Irish Guide Dogs for his incredible work giving back to them.
“I felt so lucky to be alive at all after all that had happened and thought if I could raise a bit of money for the Guide Dogs, after all they had done for us, I would.”
Castlebar woman Rosaleen Heverin was also recognised on this day for her work with the group. Rosaleen is a passionate volunteer who has worked with the group for many decades and has also taken in and owned retired guide dogs as an Irish Guide Dogs ambassador.
