The Daffodil Dude is a true local legend

HE’S known as the Daffodil Man and he’s helped raise an incredible €45,000 for the Irish Cancer Society over 20 years of unstinting fund-raising on O’Connell Street and at Blanchardstown Retail Park where he works.

James Gilleran belies his 61 years as each March he cycles from his Blackhorse Avenue home in Dublin 7 into his now traditional pitch on O’Connell Street for a long 11 hours of collecting on Daffodil Day.

And James, who works in the Argos Store in Blanchardstown Retail Park, is easily spotted as he dresses in his own home made Daffodil suit for the day.

“It was the death of my father Mel and my aunt Maureen from cancer back over 20 years ago which prompted me into wanting to help the Irish Cancer Society”, he explained. “They both died on Christmas Eve, several years apart.”

James has been fundraising on Daffodil Day for the Society now for close on a quarter-of-a-century and calculates that he has collected somewhere in the region of €45,000 for this good cause over that period of time.

And when he’s finished his stint in O’Connell Street, the next day he puts the suit on again and collects outside the Blanchardstown Retail Park where his employers at Argos are happy to let James fundraise as part of his daily work.

It’s a happy coincidence that the Irish Cancer Society is Argos’ charity partner for 2015-2017. 

James initially stuck daffodils on an old Argos sweatshirt and tracksuit bottoms as he realised a colourful costume would attract more attention when collecting for Daffodil Day. He then adapted a boiler suit to upgrade his Daffodil Man image.

“I’m now well known as the Daffodil Man because the Cancer Society has used photos of me on posters and billboards, on the back of buses and even on a 70ft banner hanging down the front of Liberty Hall,” said James.

“I have to say Argos have been very good to me in supporting what I do for Daffodil Day and I was delighted when the company adopted the Irish Cancer Society as their chosen charity.

“All of the money that we raise in Argos goes towards the funding of the Daffodil Centres nationwide. It’s a very worthy cause and I would do anything for them.”

James, who has worked with Argos in Blanchardstown for the past 11 years, said that most people have been touched by cancer in some way and he appealed to people to give generously this Friday, March 11, which is Daffodil Day.

There will be fundraising events in all 40 Argos stores on the day.