Charity calf auction raises €43,000 for Kerry Hospice
A charity calf auction held in Listowel Mart helped to raise around €43,000 for the Kerry Hospice Foundation.
The event was part of a wider fundraising initiative by Moyvane Parish Fundraising Committee which began last year.
Along with the charity calf auction in March, the group also held a concert, tea dance and other events.
The group recently presented a cheque for almost €80,000 - representing the proceeds of the combined events - to Kerry Hospice Foundation.
The foundation is currently building a five-bedroom extension to its palliative care unit which is located on the grounds of University Hospital Kerry (UHK).
The development, costing over €6 million, also includes refurbishment works in the existing in-patient and daycare facility that opened in 2017.
Charity calf auction
Mairead Hanlon, a member of the Moyvane Parish Fundraising Committee, told Agriland that the group was "overwhelmed" by the response of farmers to the charity calf auction.
"It was a phenomenal success. We had 132 calves donated.
"I would just like to say a huge word of thanks to the farming community because they were the backbone of this fundraiser, and they really came on board to support it," she said.
Mairead made "numerous phone calls" to farmers over "a solid three weeks" and everyone was very supportive.
Farmers who were not in a position to offer a calf gave a donation to the worthy cause instead.
The farmers also formed their own "network" to organise transport for the calves to the mart.
Mairead said: "If there was a farmer in a particular area, he actually gave me contacts for maybe another 10 or 12 farmers, and then they pooled together when the calves needed to be brought on March 25 for the auction.
"So we didn't have to hire anybody or pay anybody to go and collect the calves. There was such goodwill out there. It was amazing."
The organisers also thanked manager of Listowel Mart, PJ Mulvihill, who agreed that the mart would not charge any commission to buyers or sellers at the charity auction.
This meant that whatever the calves made in the ring went directly to Kerry Hospice Foundation.
Kerry Hospice Foundation
Mairead believes the success of the event was because Kerry Hospice Foundation has touched the lives of many people.
Some farmers told her they had a family member who had used the palliative care service in Tralee.
"Some were in there for other treatments besides palliative care such as cancer treatment. They have come home and they're doing very well.
"There isn't a family in the country that isn't touched in some way by cancer, whether it be indirectly or directly themselves," Mairead said.
Kerry Hospice Foundation thanked Moyvane Parish Fundraising Committee and everyone who supported the events over the past year.
"The generosity, hard work, and spirit shown by everyone involved has truly been inspiring.
"We are absolutely blown away by the support from the community - every single person who attended, contributed, and helped in any way, thank you," the organisation said.
