Tireless Ardattin fundraisers donate much-needed €10,000 to Carlow Kilkenny Homecare Team
Emily Gahan, Robert Brown, chairperson of Bagenalstown branch of Carlow Kilkenny Home Care Marion Smyth, Teresa Mannering, Frances Gahan, Kathleen O'Neill and Jake Brown. Missing are Damien Bolger, Bridget Greelan and Mary Curry. Photo: Gilbert Smyth
OVER a cup of tea recently, members of Ardattin Fundraisers handed over a hefty €10,195 to the Carlow Kilkenny Homecare Team.
The small community group based in Ardattin raise money three to four times a year to help keep the free palliative care service available to people in Carlow and Kilkenny in pocket.
Kathleen O'Neill, a fundraising member who hosted the cheque handover in her home, said she wanted to thank people in Ardattin for their continued support.
“People in the locality are absolutely brilliant for supporting,” she said.
She also wanted to thank the Mellett family for the use of the Ardattin Inn for the numerous pub quizzes, and “everyone who has donated raffle prizes, or donated in any way”.
The group has been fundraising for over ten years and the cheque handover has become a regular event on the calendar.
This year Marion Smyth, the chairperson of the Bagenalstown branch of the Carlow Kilkenny Homecare team, was there to collect the cheque.
“We love organising it, it’s fun on the day,” said Kathleen. “After the tractor runs, there would be finger food in the pub and everyone gets in for a chat.” Not everyone is there for the chat however: “We had to bring the tea to the car park; these lads, they love their tractors. They won’t go up to the hall, and it’s only across the road.
One driver loved his tractor so much, he carried a cloth to wipe off sweat marks from people leaning on the bonnet,” she laughed.
Their tireless fundraising efforts continued at the weekend when they hosted a table quiz in The Ardattin Inn. Look out for a gallery of photos in next week’s paper
