Two Killarney women have joined forces to spread festive cheer and support a worthy cause.

Aghadoe’s Tara Cronin, Fundraising and Events Manager at icap, a London-based charity offering mental health services to the Irish community in Britain, and Margaret Looney, a local artist, have collaborated to create a stunning collection of Christmas cards.

“On a recent trip to Killarney, I took the opportunity to visit the Killarney market and came across Margaret Looney’s stall,” said Cronin. “I was struck by her beautiful cards and had the idea to collaborate on a collection for icap. Margaret was incredibly enthusiastic about the project, and the result is a stunning set of cards that perfectly capture the spirit of Christmas.”

Looney’s artwork adorns each card, capturing the essence of an Irish Christmas with its warm colours. One card even features a festive scene from Killarney.

Looney added, ““I have recently decided to develop my hobby into a small business. I’m a local Killarney artist. As you will see from my paintings, I didn’t have to travel far to get my inspiration. With a passion for capturing local landscapes and landmark buildings which there is abundance of in Killarney, I enjoy putting my brush to the canvas to make my creations.

By purchasing these cards, you are directly contributing to icap’s efforts to provide culturally sensitive mental health services to the Irish community in the UK. This support is especially important during the Christmas season, a time when many people may experience increased stress and loneliness.

“We have many years of experience in providing psychotherapy for adult survivors of institutional abuse and their families added Cronin.