On Thursday night last 17th December the Friends of St. Ita’s celebrated another very memorable Christmas get together with some of their many fundraisers, including one of their most staunch supporters John Joe Nash, Coolyroe who is at present a patient in St. Ita’s and was there as their special guest on the night. As ever the occasion was most enjoyable with the guests, numbering about 50, being treated to a great selection of delicious and very tasty food prepared by the very able chef Eddie O’Connell and his wonderful kitchen staff, including the three very kind members Joan Larkin, Mary Walsh and John Hickey who came in on their own time to serve the food and look after the guests. This was, as ever, done so courteously and so professionally, very much in-keeping with standards that are a credit to St. Ita’s and so deserving of our highest praise and compliments said chairman Fergus Scanlan who went on to say this annual Christmas get-together has become extremely popular and is seen as an ideal way of celebrating the season of good-will with our many wonderful supporters and it also gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and say very many thanks to the many groups and individuals who organised the various fundraising events for the Friends through the year which include the following: starting in January 2015 Tournafulla GAA Club presented us with a cheque for €1,000 from their wrenboys and this marks the 3rd year in succession that we have received such a donation for which we are most grateful. In April we had the launch of the late Murt Downes (RIP) CD fundraiser in aid of the Friends, Dromcollogher Respite Centre and Rathfredagh Cheshire Home which went on to raise the staggering sum of €10,000 with each of the charities (all close to Murt’s heart) getting €3,825.20 each. We are exceedingly grateful to Murt’s family for doing this in Murt’s memory – Go dtuga Dia Suaimhneas siorraí da anam usal. In June Maureen Kennelly and her great home bake team presented the Friends with a cheque for €1,900 from their “Loughill Tea Day” which included €540 from the Loughill/Ballyhahill Walking Group who did a sponsored walk as part of the fundraising for which we are most grateful to all. In July we received a very generous cheque for €2,713.80 from Martin Ward’s “Sam Maguire” in Abbeyfeale and for which we are, likewise, most grateful to Martin and his great team of helpers and supporters. Also in July we received another cheque from Councillor John Sheahan, Glin and Willie Larkin, Templeglantine for their Trad Time for the Friends and St. Camillus Hospital who also got €1,500 for which we thank them most sincerely. In October Maria McKenna (dietician in St. Ita’s) did the Dublin City Marathon for the Friends and between herself and sponsorship from the business sector and others this raised €4,500 for which we are hugely grateful to Maria and the many generous sponsors. In November there was another most generous cheque for €8,347 presented to the staff in the Day Hospital in St. Ita’s from a “New Year’s Day Swim” organised by Kathleen Harnett, Abbeyfeale and her wonderful team of organisers and the many courageous boys and girls who took to the icy sea waters in Ballybunion for this. Very many thanks to all and also to Abbeyfeale Drama Group who contributed €1,000 to the event. Lastly in November we had our Wine Fare and Cookery Demo which was organised by Ron Forrestal (Forrestal Wine Merchants, Ardagh) and chef John Quinn, Newcastle West Golf Club. The event which included a super raffle was a resounding success and raised €6,500 for which we say a very big thank you to Ron, John and all others involved and a special thank you to the sponsors of all the beautiful prizes and to all our raffle ticket sellers.

As we have said so many times before it is the type of truly wonderful and generosity by groups like these great people and many more which have become the hallmark of our success that has seen us raised in excess of €3.5 million to date. And that funding in turn has helped fund many of the major improvements and developments which have taken place here at. St. Ita’s over these last 13 years since we started our fundraising campaign back in 2003. All of which have been well documented, courtesy of the

Weekly Observer. And of course our most recent achievement was the opening of the new €2 million 22 bedded rehab unit last month which was covered in detail in the Weekly Observer edition on 18th November last. Needless to say we are thrilled to see this state-of-the-art facility finally open after five years fundraising the staggering sum of €1.37 million which the Friends raised towards the project, a sum which included €750,000 from the great JP McManus Golf Pro Am of 2010, without that funding this beautiful unit would not be there today and for that we are forever grateful to this wonderful man. Needless to say, this is the high point in our list of achievements for 2015 and what a very positive note on which to end the year but we would hasten to add it could not have happened without the consistent and unparalleled support and generosity of the entire community for which we are eternally grateful.

In conclusion our very grateful thanks and appreciation to one and all and also, and as ever, our very sincere thanks to all at the

Weekly Observer who consistently have given us great support and very positive and generous coverage of all our fundraising ventures and for that we are most grateful. And so on behalf of the Friends and management and staff we wish everyone and in particular our very good friends Nora O’Keeffe and husband Denis, Ballingarry a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year “Le Cunamh Dé”.