Fundraising ‘In Memory of PJ’ to benefit Marymount
Friday in Fermoy was a wash-out weather wise, but for Rathcormac local, Patty Smyth, nothing would stop her fundraising drive.
The cold and the rain persisted, but so did Patty, in her bid to raise funds for Marymount Hospice in memory of her brother, PJ Delaney.
Now an annual event for the family, the fundraiser took place with Patty spinning on her bike outside Farrell’s SuperValu in Mitchelstown on Thursday, while the following day she was accepting donations outside Herlihy’s Centra in Fermoy. Friday also saw the trademark event of the fundraiser take place, with Patty having her head shaved, all being live-streamed on her social media.
According to the Rathcormac lady, she fundraises at Fermoy Post Office each year as a way to involve her brother’s former colleagues.
“My brother was a postman and I like to fundraise here because it involves his former colleagues too,” she said.
PJ Delaney, who spent over 20 years delivering post, sadly passed away in June 2021 at Marymount Hospice, after a brief battle with cancer.
“Eight years ago, PJ had three mini strokes while he was on holiday in Turkey. The family flew out to him and he ended up coming home with a paramedic in the aeroplane. He got well again for a while and in November 2020, he was diagnosed with cancer. He was Stage 4 before he even realised it. He lived for seven months and died aged 59,” Patty recalled.
MITCHELSTOWN SUPPORT
Last year, Patty shaved her head publicly on MacCurtain Street and undertook some spinning outside Centra on Patrick Street, raising approximately €3,650 in PJ’s memory.
“We’re hoping to surpass that this year because I brought Mitchelstown into it again this year. We stood outside SuperValu with a bucket and I did spinning there for two and a half hours.
“We’ve had great support. Minnie Irene O’Donnell, one of the world’s strongest women, joined us on both days and did some spinning too. I’ve been going to the gym out there for a number of years and I got to know quite a few people from Mitchelstown,” Patty said.
Last week, Patty was joined by friends and family across the twoday fundraiser, with the head shave taking place at The Barber Shop on MacCurtain Street, Fermoy. She was also supported along the way by locals, people passing through the town in traffic and even the local students who were finishing school for their Easter holidays.
“I always grab a couple of students for a photograph. It adds to the atmosphere and in fairness to them, some of them dig into their pockets and throw a few euro into the bucket as well, so it’s nice to see,” Patty said.
A final fundraising total is expected to be announced after monies from the buckets have been handed into Marymount Hospice and the online fundraiser closes. In the meantime, the online fundraiser still remains open for those who wish to donate at idonate. ie/fundraiser/PattySmyth - under the title ‘In Memory of PJ’.