Though they knew after the last race at Powell’s Road on a pleasant Sunday evening last month that they had done it, passed an amazing milestone, broken a near incredible barrier, reached and shattered a self imposed charity fundraising target.
However, it was not official until the cheques were in the hands of the representatives of the nominated charities at Tom McCarthy’s Central Bar on Friday night – it is now.
Castleisland Race Committee volunteers and their chairman, Cllr. Charlie Farrelly were lavishly and publicly praised for their contributions to a range of Kerry charities through their fundraising race meetings and associated events since the most recent revival of the meetings in 1999.
A Sense of Celebration
There has always been a sense of celebration and a positive community vibe at these gatherings over the years – but there was an extra edge to Friday night’s meitheal as such an impressive sum of hard earned money had been handed over to the two recipient charities.
Glebe Lodge Residential Centre here in Castleisland received €3,015 for an enhancement project being planned at the Brosna Road centre.
The Tralee based Recovery Haven representatives, Dermot Crowley and Kathleen Collins were presented with a cheque for €5,422.
Total Raised and Presented €203,737
This brought the total raised and presented to over the €200k mark and it now rests at €203,737.
Both Mary O’Sullivan of Glebe Lodge and Kathleen Collins of Recovery Haven expressed the gratitude of their committees and service users for the generosity and hard work of the group of volunteers and Chairman Farrelly for the sums of money presented on the night.
As the late Humphrey Murphy’s favourite charity, Glebe Lodge, has been installed as an annual recipient of the proceeds of the 5k road race in his memory, the Castleisland Race Committee has honoured him with the race and by nominating ‘The Lodge’ for its proceeds on an annual basis.
Humphrey Murphy Memorial Plaque
Humphrey’s brother, John and his wife Mary attended the cheque hand-over on Friday night and they presented the Humphrey Murphy Memorial Plaque to Glebe Lodge representatives, Mary O’Sullivan and Séamus O’Connor.
“To say that I’m privileged to be involved as chairman with this amazing group of volunteers is an understatement. “We have been together since 1999 – we lost a few along the way but the most of us are still here. Take a bow folks – ye are an amazing bunch,” said Cllr. Farrelly in a brief departure from the cheque presentation business of the evening.
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