Cool Siúl does the trick for front-line workers

THE third annual Cool Siúl fundraiser in Ballinskelligs may have fallen to COVID-19 restrictions last month – having been scheduled to take place on the birthday of the person it commemorates – but all was not lost, as the event’s organisers have proven.

The five-kilometre walk was due to take place on May 3, Katherine Fitzpatrick’s birthday, until the reality of lockdown meant that they event could not take place this year.

Her daughter, Ann, explained to The Kerryman, however, that a GoFundMe page was kept open instead to raise funds to help front-line staff at University Hospital Kerry.

It was a change from the usual beneficiaries for the year that was in it – with the blessing of traditional beneficiaries Scoil Mhichíl and Ballinskelligs Community Care – and Ann explained that this is also a cause that has helped her family in the past, and a cause for which friends of theirs work.

“We first made contact with UHK two weeks ago, to discuss how we’d get the funds across to them,” Ann told The Kerryman.

“We held the presentation last Thursday out by the front of the hospital, and the final total was more than €4,000: €4,336 altogether.

“On the day, Helena Behan and General Manager Fergal Grimes were with us, and they were thrilled with what we managed to raise.

“As a family, leading up to this was tinged with sadness I suppose, but we were very proud of what we managed to raise, and to be able to hand those funds over at a time when they’d be particularly gratefully received is fantastic.”

Ann also expressed her thanks to donors near and far – some donations even came in from abroad, she explained – and a return of the Cool Siúl is likely.

“Yes, hopefully we’ll be back on Terra Firma next year, and it’ll be all systems go,” she said.

Photo by Domnick Walsh Ann O’Leary; Siobhan Fitzpatrick; Helena Behan, UHK; and General Manager UHK Fergal Grimes. Pictured at the front are Mark O’Leary (7) and Ellen O’Leary (aged 9).