In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a little girl from Galway inspired the nation to donate over €6 million to the first-ever RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, which raises funds to support children and families across Ireland.
Saoírse captured viewers' hearts when she appeared on The Late Late Toy Show, speaking about her incredibly tough experience with cancer. As well as undergoing intense chemotherapy for an Osteosarcoma tumour, she had to have her right leg amputated as a result of her diagnosis.
Sadly, Saoírse passed on 5 March 2024, at the young age of 12, but her legacy continues in the incredible work of the Toy Show Appeal, which has raised over €26 million to date. That's more than €5 million distributed every year to support more than one million children and families right across every county.
This year, to celebrate Saoírse's impact further, a grant award of up to €150,000 will be made in her name.
"That is something that has completely blown us away," Kielty told RTÉ Lifestyle at the 2025 Toy Show media day.
"We're told that this world is selfish, we're told that the world we're living in isn't kind, but I think if you look at this night and what people are doing... if you look at how much people have to save to try and have their own Christmas, for people to think about somebody else at this time, I think is amazing."
"I was lucky enough to go and see some of the projects this year, and while we talk about Toy Show night - last year we talked about Toy Show Day - Toy Show is 365 a year. Every day.
"If you look at what people do and how they dig deep and how that changes lives right the way through the year, it is just amazing. Any small difference that anyone manages to make this year, we really appreciate that."
To find out more, you can watch a special documentary, Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal on RTÉ Player. Donate to the Toy Show Appeal here.
