Mark Zuckerberg, George W Bush, Lady Gaga and Matt Lauer are among the celebrities who’ve taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for research into motor neurone disease. Now the trend’s taken off on the far side of the Atlantic and this Donegal man showed the celebs how it’s done!
Forget about a bucket, Seamus Mac Giolla Easpaig, went big and used a digger and wearing a tux. Go big or go home, as our US cousins say.
As if this wasn’t enough another Irish lad, though not dressed quite so smartly, got in on the action. This time in Innishannon, in County Cork:
The Ice Bucket Challenge has gotten some flack, as being silly or infantile, but the numbers don’t lie. In its first three weeks the Ice Bucket Challenge, designed to raise awareness and aid in research of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or 'Lou Gehrig's Disease,' has raised over $31.5 million. That’s 17 times more than they raised in the same period in 2013.
The Irish have also been pulling their weight and so far the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association has benefited to the tune of $33,000 (€20,000). In Ireland, some have also opted to donate to their charity of choice.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, showed he was a good sport when he did not just one bucket challenge but allowed 14 buckets to poured over his head. He raised $16,5000 (€10,000) for the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation.
Here are some other celebrities whose Ice Bucket Challenges got some serious press.
Robert Downey Jnr:
While on Jimmy Fallon’s show Rob Riggle, Horatio Sanz, Steve Higgins, The Roots, and Jimmy take up the challenge:
Former United States president George W Bush who was challenged by Irish golfer Rory McIllroy:
It’s not only celebrities who are taking the challenge. Here’s a compilation of Vines. Be warned there is some (unsurprising) cursing:
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