By Michelle Crean

A well attended fundraising event yesterday (Thursday) not only remembered a very special little Ballyhar girl but also raised vital funds for an important service.

Mothers gathered at the Royal Hotel for the coffee morning fundraiser in aid of the Irish Community Air Ambulance and to remember Lily Ellen a niece of school teacher Margaret Daly at Lissivigeen NS who passed last year. Pictured were: Irene Nash Danielle O'Shea Elaine Moynihan Carmel Nash Vourneen Nash Orla O'Leary and Noreen O'Sullivan. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan

The Parents Council of Lissivigeen NS organisers of the Irish Community Air Ambulance coffee morning at the Royal Hotel in remembrance of Lily Ellen Daly a niece of school teacher Margaret Daly. From l-r were: Catherine Duggan Linda Dennehy and Mags O'Sullivan. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan

A coffee morning was organised at the Royal Hotel by the Parents Council at Lissivigeen NS to help raise funds for the Irish Community Air Ambulance and to remember Lily Ellen Daly. From l-r were: Michael Daly (Lily's dad) Donal Daly Caroline Daly (Lily's mom) Teacher Margaret Daly and School Principal Conor Gleeson. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan

Pictured at the Royal Hotel for the Lissivigeen NS coffee morning in aid of the Irish Community Air Ambulance a service Lily Ellen Daly availed of. From l-r were: Mick Long Kathleen Lynch Ellen Cagney and Miriam Long. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan

Staff and parents from Lissivigeen National School organised a coffee morning in the Royal Hotel to remember 20-month-old Lily Ellen Daly, daughter of Michael and Caroline Daly from Lisheenacanna, Ballyhar, who passed away in February last year from complications with Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS).

Lily Ellen's final journey from home to Cork hospital was made using the Irish Community Air Ambulance (ICAA) so the event was to raise awareness and necessary funds for the charity service.

Initially the school was organising a non-uniform day to help the children understand the importance of the service, Lily Ellen's aunt Margaret Daly, a Senior Infant teacher at Lissivigeen NS, told the Killarney Advertiser.

"We've been teaching the children about the Irish Community Air Ambulance all week," she explained.
"They're the future paramedics and pilots and it's about teaching them about the service which is not Government funded. Initially it was going to be a non-uniform day but the Parents Association kindly decided to run a coffee morning alongside it."

She added that the support yesterday was "just phenomenal".

"The school community in Lissivigeen is remarkable, there's something very special there. People were dropping in things for the raffle and vouchers all week and donating. It's about creating awareness for the kids and to keep the memory of Lily very much alive."

She also thanked the staff at the Royal Hotel who were "amazing" on the day and added that Donie Lucey from ICAA will be at the school today (Friday) to speak to the children about the important service.