Coach convoy raises over €13,000 for Kerry Hospice
NINE coaches travelled in convoy around Slea Head on Saturday to raise funds for Kerry Hospice.
The brainchild of Annascaul business man Paddy Kennedy, the coach convoy exceeded everyone’s expectations by raising €13,145 for Kerry Hospice. Paddy and his wife Anne of Kennedy’s Coaches are absolutely delighted with the day and the amount of money raised.
The convoy assembled in Annascaul at midday with coaches from throughout the county converging on the village. The coaches carried 350 passengers who were lucky to get the much sought after tickets. The demand was so great that in the few days leading up to the convoy “it was like having tickets for the All Ireland” said Marian Kennedy, the spokesperson for the organising committee.
The first stop on the trip was in Dingle where Saturday shoppers and visitors stopped in their tracks at the sight and sound of an open air music session and old time waltzing around the Fungi statue at the head of the pier. The music was provided by musicians who had volunteered their time and talent for the day.
The stop in Dingle complete, the convoy loaded with passengers, tour guides and musicians embarked on a tour of the west. Songs, stories and tour guiding were in plentiful supply as sing-songs intermingled with tales of folk heroes and film stars as the coaches slowly wound their way around the Slea Head.
The passengers, who had travelled from throughout Kerry and as far a field as Dublin and Cork, ranged in age from seven years old to at least one who admitted being over 90 years of age. With the Sea Head route completed, the buses turned into the Skellig Hotel for an afternoon of refreshments and dancing with music supplied by Noreen Ashe.
The organisers Miriam Dennehy, Carmel Flynn, Kathleen O’Connor, Dora Mc Carthy, Siobhán Flahive, Joan Flahive, Phil Curran and spokesperson Marian Kennedy counted the money raised from bus tickets, raffle tickets and donations to amass a total of €13,145 made on the day and they presented a cheque to Kerry Hospice. The amount raised was double the expected amount and “there is still money coming in”, said Marian.
Marian expressed the gratitude of the organising committee for all the contributions made by people on the day and leading up to the event. People gave of their time and talents to provide a day of “full on entertainment” and to raise funds for this worthy cause. The only question that is on everyone’s lips is ‘when can we do that again?’