Professional Darts Stars for Borrisokane
Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI) will be the focus of a high-profile fundraising event on Easter Saturday, April 4th as professional darts players Ricky Evans and Devon Peterson headline a Darts Exhibition Night at Tess Burke’s in Borrisokane.
The event, which is open to the public, aims to raise vital funds to train and place assistance dogs for autistic children across Ireland.
With demand for autism assistance dogs up by 53% in just two years, the need for community support has never been more urgent.
The event gets underway at 6:00pm, promising a fantastic night of top-level darts and entertainment. Attendees can compete in the 9 Darts Challenge for a chance to win, while directly contributing to a cause that delivers safety, independence, and emotional stability to families nationwide.
Entry to watch the two professionals battle it out is €10, with the separate challenge priced at €2 per entry - half of which goes directly to AADI’s life-changing work.
The scale of need is stark: in 2025 alone, over 1,000 families contacted AADI, 370 attended an official webinar, and 150 completed applications. Yet, due to funding constraints, only 38 families could be offered a dog, leaving three out of four eligible families waiting at least another year. Each assistance dog costs €25,000 to train and place, and AADI receives no government funding - families are never charged for their dog.
In the words of Erin McEveney, AADI spokesperson: “An assistance dog is not just a companion - it’s a lifeline that brings safety, calmness, and freedom to autistic children and their families. With demand rising dramatically, community events like this darts exhibition are essential in helping us continue our work. Every euro raised brings us closer to supporting another child in need.”
Over the past 15 years, Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland has delivered 138 assistance dogs to families across Ireland and has committed to supporting 25 more families this year. As the need for these specialised dogs grows, community-driven events remain critical in bridging the funding gap and enabling more children to live safely and participate fully in society.
Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland is a national charity that provides highly trained assistance dogs to support the safety, independence, and inclusion of autistic children and their families across Ireland. The organisation does not receive government funding and never charges families for its services
For those who can’t attend but would like to show support, you can make a donation at: www.idonate.ie/event/Darts.