Meelin wren brings bumper cheque

WRENBOYS DELIVER FOR CUH WARD

WHILE most of us were kicking back and relaxing on St. Stephen’s Day, 17 people from Meelin put in long hours hunting the wren around their own locality, as well as parts of Rockchapel, Newmarket and Kanturk.

Hunting the wren, which is spearheaded locally by the Lehane family, has been a tradition upheld by the Meelin Group for in excess of 20 years with various charities benefiting from funds collected each year.

“We have several musicians and singers, we split into four different groups and visit houses all over the locality, then on St. Stephen’s night we call to some of the pubs in the local towns,” Denis Lehane told The Corkman.

The worthy recipient of funds from the recent expedition was chosen by 13 years old Nancy Lehane, who was highly impressed by the care and attention her late uncle Niall received at Cork University Hospital before he passed away in July last year. “I just thought it would be nice to try and help other people who are patients in 2D Ward, because everyone at the hospital was so good to Uncle Niall when he was there,” Nancy said.

“We want to say thanks to everyone who helped - singers, musicians and drivers, and also all the kind people who made us welcome and gave us a cuppa,” Anne Marie Lehane said.

“And although next St. Stephen’s Day is almost a year away we are putting an appeal out in plenty of time for more volunteers to join us then,” she added.

A cheque for €2,213 was presented by the group to representatives of 2D Ward at CUH.

The group also ran a fundraising concert featuring local talent in the local community centre just after Christmas, which benefited the St. Vincent De Paul Society and The Simon Community.

Hunting the Wren in Meelin and surrounding areas generated €2,213 for 2D Ward at Cork University Hospital. Included here are some of the organisers and musicians who took part; Nancy, Donnacha, Luke, Diarmuid, Neilus, Anne Marie, and Denis Lehane, Jack, Laura, and Martina Doody, Hanna O’ Callaghan and Pat O’ Callaghan. Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald.