WEST KERRY
Noel Ó Murchú, captain of the Green and Gold Wren, presenting Frank Heidke of Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Team with a cheque for 15,000 in O'flaherty's Bar last Friday night. Credit: Photo by Jon Wright.
After being left € 15,000 in the will of a former member, the Green and Gold Wren in Dingle has donated the money to a local rescue service. AN INCREDIBLY generous gesture was made by members of Dingle's Green and Gold Wren on Friday night when they took €15,000 they received in a will and presented it to the Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Team.
The money had been bequeathed to the Green and Gold Wren by businessman Ciarán Cleary from Bridge Street, Dingle who passed away in 2006. It was one of a number of substantial contributions Mr Cleary willed to local community and sporting organisations.
Wren members came together to discuss what to do with the funds before unanimously voting to donate the money to a worthy cause. Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue was nominated and a cheque for €15,000 was presented to them by the Green and Gold Wren in O'flaherty's last Friday night.
"The Green and Gold Wren was very close to Ciarán's heart; at one time he even held the position of wren captain in the 1950s," Green and Gold spokesperson Fergus Ó Flaithbheartaigh told The Kerryman this week.
"While we were truly humbled by his generosity, we felt that this money would be better served by donating it to a local cause."
"All the Green and Gold Wren members were 100 per cent behind selecting the Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue Team as the recipients. They put all their efforts into saving lives and will be able to use the funds in their effort, which benefits the community at large," Fergus said.
Green and Gold captain Noel Ó Murchú presented Frank Heidtke of Dingle Cliff and Coast Rescue Team with the funds in O'flaherty's last Friday before the Green and Gold got in some early wren practice on a night that saw plenty of ceol, craic agus comhluadar.
A plaque was also presented, commemorating the event and citing 'Ar Scáth a Chéile a Mhaireann na Daoine' in recognition of the generosity of Ciarán Cleary and the philanthropy of the Green and Gold Wren in donating the funds to such a worthy cause.
"It was a very easy choice for us – this money will now go towards saving lives – we are very grateful to Ciaran for his contribution and are delighted to see now that the money will be put to good use," Fergus said.
- MARIAN O'FLAHERTY
