O'Neills have dressed a famous County Tyrone monument in scrubs and gowns in an act of solidarity with frontline workers.
The sportswear manufacturer dressed "The Tinnies" in Strabane, County Tyrone, in large-scale scrubs and gowns in addition to hanging a banner saying "thank you to all our frontline staff."
Officially known as the "Let The Dance Begin" sculpture, the Tinnies are five statues measuring about six meters that were created to celebrate the new millennium.
The statues have previously been dressed in the red and white of Tyrone in support of the county's GAA team but have now been dressed to support an entirely more important cause.
Kieran Kennedy, Managing Director at O'Neills, said that the gesture was timely given that all patients with COVID-19 had been recently discharged from the intensive care unit of the local Altnagelvin Hospital.
"This news came as a huge sigh of relief for many people in the North West," he said.
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"The Tinnies have donned the red and white of the Tyrone GAA team in the past but now it’s time for us to thank our heroic frontline healthcare staff for their incredible work treating patients during the pandemic," he continued.
O'Neills is the largest manufacturer of GAA equipment in Ireland but has recently been making personal protective equipment (PPE) for health staff across Ireland.
Earlier in the week, the sports manufacturer launched its "Sideline Heroes" campaign to celebrate the unsung heroes in GAA, rugby, soccer, and cricket clubs across the country during the pandemic.
The campaign seeks to celebrate volunteers who have raised funds for frontline workers, delivered groceries to vulnerable neighbors, and brought other care packages to the elderly or to people with underlying health conditions.
Sports across Ireland have been canceled due to the pandemic and Kennedy said that players across the country have stepped into the role of volunteer in the absence of competition.
"The lack of action on the field of play for training and fixtures hasn’t stifled the amazing community spirit and camaraderie that is part and parcel of our local sports clubs from the players to the officials and backroom staff to the supporters and their families.
"It has also been an incredibly challenging time for O’Neills and our dedicated workforce which is all the more reason why we want to celebrate the trojan work that is taking place at grassroots level to ensure the safety and well-being of so many vibrant local communities," he said.
The Sideline Heroes campaign will recognize the work of volunteers around the country and the overall winner of the campaign will receive a €500 O'Neills voucher.
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