News
Over €70k donated to three charities
CHALLENGE CHEQUE: The 54321 Challenge 2019 raised €72,506 for three Kerry charities. Front from left are: Caroline Lynch, Denis Daly (Skellig Stars) Maura O'Sullivan (Kerry Hospice Foundation), Frank Heidtke (Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Service), and Maggie Teahan. Seated in second row from left are: Audrey Graham, TJ O'Connor, Tony Dunne and Catherine Foley. Standing at back row from left are: Ann Foley, Diarmuid Foley, John Falvey, Martin McCarthy, John O'Donoghue, Declan Sheehan, Maureen O'Sullivan Dennehy, Cian Higgins, Anne McCarthy, Michael Foley, Irene Heffernan and Pat Sullivan. Picture: Eamonn Keogh
It was yet again a mighty challenge but it was worth it as a whopping €72,506 was this week handed over to three Kerry charities.
On Saturday last, participants who took part in this year’s 54321 Challenge met in The Victoria House Hotel to present a cheque to this year’s selected charities; Skellig Stars, The Kerry Hospice and Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Service. This brings the amount raised to date by the 54321 Challenge to €206,712 for various Kerry charities.
This year’s 54321 Challenge took place from the August 22 – 25 with 37 people, the largest number of participants since the Challenge was started. It began from the GAA grounds in Killorglin and they cycled around the Ring of Kerry on day one.
This would exhaust most people but not these, as they were up early again the following day, travelled to the base of Carrauntoohil, and climbed Ireland’s highest mountain.
“The conditions on the day were challenging but the heads never went down,” one of the organisers, TJ O’Connor, said.
Having returned safe and sound from Friday’s challenge, on Saturday they once again took to the bicycles and cycled from Killarney to the foot of Mount Brandon and climbed it, the persistent rain throughout the climb did not dampen the spirits of this amazing bunch of people, they even sang a few songs and danced a set when they reached the top.
The challengers spent a welcome night in Dingle before embarking on the final day which was a cycle from Dingle to finish where it all started in Killarney where they received a hero’s welcome at the Gleneagle Hotel where supporters of all three charities gathered to welcome them home, followed by well-deserved drinks and pizzas at Kayne’s Bistro.
“It was a weekend of bonding, banter, singing, struggles, laughs but most of all a great sense of achievement in completing the challenge on a personal level and for three great causes for all the participants,” he added.
“On behalf of the Skellig Stars, The Kerry Hospice and Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Service and the 54321 Challenge team we would like to say thank you to all those who have sponsored and supported us along the way.”
The date for next year’s event will be confirmed shortly and they will be recruiting teams so if you would like to be part of next year’s Challenge or would like further information please call the event organisers Carole Moran on 087 9471336 or TJ O’Connor on 087 6277141.
Follow them on Facebook: 54321challenge or visit www.54321challenge.org.
News
No spare change – no problem, as charity embraces new technology
By Sean Moriarty With less and less people carrying lose change around, one local group have now embraced a new technology to make donating much easier. For their annual Christmas fundraiser, the Killarney Conference of the St Vincent De Paul Society will have a special collection bucket that will allow supporters to use their bank […]
By Sean Moriarty
With less and less people carrying lose change around, one local group have now embraced a new technology to make donating much easier.
For their annual Christmas fundraiser, the Killarney Conference of the St Vincent De Paul Society will have a special collection bucket that will allow supporters to use their bank card to make a donation.
The Society’s annual churchgate collection will be held on the weekend of December 11/12 at places of worship in the town and surrounding areas. This year’s collection has be renamed as ‘Giving Sunday’ and makes a return after the pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s fundraiser.
“We are moving towards a cashless society,” explained Killarney Conference President Breda O’Dwyer. “You can tap and swipe your card to make a donation.”
Breda added that they are hoping to have the buckets ready by next week in time for the collection.
She said the local conference of the St Vincent De Paul Society has seen a marked increase in the number of families it is helping mainly caused by the increase in the cost of fuel and home heating products.
The annual St Vincent De Paul Society’s Christmas Jumper Day, in association with Radio Kerry is scheduled for December 10.
Attachments
News
SURVEY: Locals are reducing their social contacts
It is just over a week since new restrictions were announced by the Government in an another effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. In our latest online poll we asked our readers if they had reduced their social contacts over the course of the last week. An overwhelming 62.90% said they had reduced their […]
It is just over a week since new restrictions were announced by the Government in an another effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In our latest online poll we asked our readers if they had reduced their social contacts over the course of the last week.
An overwhelming 62.90% said they had reduced their level of contacts with people.
Interestingly, 37.10% of people had made no change to their lifestyle, but they could have been extra cautious already.
A tiny minority – just 1.61% – said they increased their social contacts over the last week.
Attachments
No spare change – no problem, as charity embraces new technology
By Sean Moriarty With less and less people carrying lose change around, one local group have now embraced a new...
SURVEY: Locals are reducing their social contacts
It is just over a week since new restrictions were announced by the Government in an another effort to curb...
Staff and students highlight important message
By Michelle Crean Local students went to great efforts on Friday last to highlight a very important message about inclusion....
Donation to be made in memory of Johnny Batt
By Sean Moriarty Spa GAA remembered one of their most loyal members this week when his beloved club donated to...
New Road traffic meeting deferred
By Sean Moriarty Killarney Gardai hope to host a meeting to discuss traffic problems in the New Road area as...
Relegation battle has town divided
By Sean Moriarty This is bigger than the county final itself – with the main prize on offer being bragging...
68% of fans say penalty shootouts ‘not right’ for Gaelic football
by Adam Moynihan Local Gaelic football supporters are largely against the practice of deciding matches with penalty shootouts, a poll...
Our multisport youngsters are burned out and stressed out
by Charlie O’Neill In the past few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of returning to coaching a feisty and passionate...
CONFIRMED: Crokes and Legion set for Fitzgerald Stadium showdown
by Adam Moynihan December is almost upon us and there has been a noticeable turn in the weather this past...
How should we spell the names of Kerry’s top GAA clubs?
by Adam Moynihan Here’s a trivia question for you. Four teams remain in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. Spell their...
