Butt Run funds banked until next year
THE organisers of last year’s Butt Run have thanked everyone who contributed to the event, adding that the €13,040 raised for Group 129 of The Irish Pilgrimage Trust annual trip to Lourdes will be kept for next year’s trip.
Named after Ned ‘The Butt’ Whitty, over 180 people registered to take part on the day. This was the seventh consecutive year and the sixth supporting the charity. For over 40 years, the Trust – which, under chairman Pat Caulfield, is one of the most successful fundraising committees in the region for the Lourdes trip – has been travelling on pilgrimage/holiday to Lourdes with young people with special needs from all over Ireland.
On the Butt run, the drivers left the Horse & Hound hotel in Ballinaboola, embarking on a route which took in Ballinaboola, Saltmills via Gusserane, Rathimney, Burkestown and through Whelan’s Cross. There was a break in Saltmills prior to returning to The Horse & Hound where a very impressive car show was performed by The Garvey Brothers.
One of the organisers, Fr Odhran Furlong, said: ‘Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we couldn’t go at Easter. All of the necessary work went ahead. The visits were arranged, the guests were chosen and the carers were looking forward to it and then the carpet was swept from under us. We are very conscious that there are guests who are hugely disappointed and their families are hugely disappointed. The money raised will be kept back until next year. We are so grateful to everyone who supported us.’