River Island Hotel Card Players Shuffle for Charity

Donie Cremins (left) with John Skevena O’Sullivan and John O’Connell at the River Island Hotel weekly, Sunday night 31 session. ©Photograph: John Reidy

River Island Hotel Card Players and representatives of recipient groups pictured at the presentation of cheques before Sunday night’s games. Front: Hannah Hickey, Pat O’Donnell, Donie Cremins, Johnny Healy and Mary Shanahan. Back row: Frank Moran, Dom O’Donnell, Kathleen Herlihy, John Skevena O’Sullivan, Ted Moynihan and John O’Connell. ©Photograph: John Reidy

A few hands of 31 before the serious stuff starts on Sunday night at the River Island Hotel. Players include: Maureen Fitzgerald, Templeglantine; Donie Cremins and John Skevana O’Sullivan, organisers, Castleisland; Fintan Quirke and Kathleen McCarthy, Abbeyfeale and Dan Reidy, Mountcollins. ©Photograph: John Reidy 22-3-2015

As is their long-standing habit, members of the organising committee of the River Island Hotel Card Players, presented the proceeds of their pot of five cheques of €1,000 each to a shuffle of local charities.
The following will benefit on this occasion from the ongoing  generosity of the players: Castleisland Day Care Centre;  The Oncology Unit Kerry General Hospital; The Alzheimer Society North Kerry Homecare;  Bru Columanus, Cork and The Palliative Care Unit, Tralee.
“The card players of the River Island Hotel have contributed over  €40,000 to charities since it began and we would like to thank all our players who helped raise the funds and the management and staff of the hotel for the use of the facilities here over the years,” said organising committee PRO, John O’Connell.
This particular card school is running since September 1994 and was set up by host, John O’Sullivan at Skevenas Bar as a fundraiser for the Castleisland Coursing Club. The club was about to buy and develop its own grounds just off the Black Road in Tullig at the time.
When that mission was accomplished and the bills paid they decided to keep the school going and turn their financial attentions to local charities.
When Skevenas closed its doors in January 2007 the cards went across the street to the Crown Hotel for a while. Eventually it settled at the River Island and the players are collectively known as The River Island Hotel Card Players.
The ‘charity money’ is raised by means of an admission fee of €7 per player each Sunday night. The weekly gathering attracts an average of 60 to 70 players per night and they come from all corners of Kerry and from well beyond the borders of Cork and Limerick.
From the players’ admission fees the organisers, John Skevena O’Sullivan  and John O’Connell, pay out winnings and place prizes of €150 / €75 and several €20 awards for best ladies, best gents and mixed as well as the odd cash spot prize.
Their considered charities are chosen from the local pool or those in which there is a local involvement. There are many charities throughout the locality and beyond which have benefited from their kindness down through the years. Card players are always welcome at the Sunday night gatherings.  The games begin at 9pm.
Sunday night’s results from The River Island Hotel Card Players are as follows:
1st:  Mary Barrett and Timmy Brosnan, Jack Rahilly and Ned Murphy, Maureen Fitzgerald and Kathleen McCarthy. Ladies:  Ann Walsh and  Jane Colfer. Gents: Mike O’Connor and  Joe Walsh. Mixed: Kathleen O’Connor and Charlie Farrelly, Noreen Fleming and Patsy O’Connor.
Spots:  Bill O’Sullivan and Mick Leahy, Eileen and  John O’Connell, Ritchie Walsh and Danny O’Loughlin.  Cards continue every Sunday night at 9pm sharp.