Millstreet Lourdes volunteers receive table quiz boost

A QUARTET of fifth-year students from Millstreet Community School will be giving up a week of their Easter holidays to act as helpers with a special pilgrimage to Lourdes for young people.

Volunteers Caoimhe O’Leary, Emma Brady, Michelle O’Riordan and Sarah Bourke are travelling with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust.

To offset their expenses, a fundraising table quiz was hosted by the Wallis Arms Hotel and met an overwhelmingly positive response.

For almost five decades, groups including young people with special needs have travelled from all over Ireland on Easter Sunday and have participated in the unique week in Lourdes.

Together with friends from the wider community of the Pilgrimage Trust Charity, over 5,000 pilgrims enjoy this unique experience every year.

Millstreet Community School Chaplain John Magee referred to the school’s long association with the Lourdes pilgrimage and explained the cost of the participants’ travel and accommodation was €670 per person.

The hope for them is that they’ll be able to cover these costs through fundraising efforts.

“Many thanks to everyone who supported the table quiz,” he said.

“A total of 29 teams took place, which was fantastic, and €1,600 was raised. There was a wonderful array of raffle prizes, including those sent by Patrick O’Leary from Kentucky (USA)”, he added.

Outright winners on the night Jim O’Sullivan, Eileen O’Sullivan, Norah O’Sullivan and Pat Breen donated their prize to the cause.

Photos by John Tarrant. The team of Nora Dennehy, Niamh Twomey, Majella O’Riordan and Catherine Twomey supported the Millstreet Community School table quiz.

Volunteers Caoimhe O’Leary, Emma Brady, Sarah Bourke and Michelle O’Riordan were delighted with the response to the table quiz in support of their pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Millstreet Community School staff members John Magee, Mary Randles, Marian Buckley, Jennifer O’Donoughue and Derry Morley were amongst the helpers at the table quiz.

Erin Lawlor, Shannon O’Sullivan, Orla Twomey and Niamh Tarrant.

Oskar Wolah, Matthew Ozaist, Sylvester Brak and Greg Bala.

Sinéad, Anna and Eileen Finucane.

Imelda, John Paul and Finbarr Bourke; and Donal Horgan from Kilcorney.

The quiz-winning team of Nora O’Sullivan, Eileen O’Sullivan, Jim O’Sullivan and Pat Breen.

Underage category winners Donal Bourke, Casper Kacpe, Patrick Kelleher and Conor Casey.