THE reality of the current economic decline is that voluntary organisations can expect little help from the government. This means such groups will become more dependent on their own resources within the local community.

Take Ventry Primary School as an example. The school authorities and parents committee wanted to provide a special piece of teaching equipment for the older students.

To help raise funds, artist Jenny McCarthy, who has been living in the area for the past seven years, offered the school one of her paintings as the first prize in a raffle and throughout the summer volunteers sold tickets for €5 each at every opportunity.

Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the school now has an interactive whiteboard, which is a major aid to teaching, according to those in the know.

Last Friday, students, parents and staff gathered in one of the schoolrooms for the raffle draw where Jenny McCarthy's painting, 'Ventry Beach – Sand Expanse 3', was on display. Jenny pulled the winning ticket from the hat and her painting, valued at €1,600, will soon be hanging in the home of Ciara Hynes of Castleknock, in Dublin.

The oil on canvas painting was on show in Murphy's ice cream shop in Dingle and in McKenna's over the summer. Those who missed it can see this and other works by Jenny McCarthy on her website, beach.com.

www.ventry-