Wren Day event raises over €3,000 for Mayo charity

A WREN Day fundraiser for Mayo charity Western Care which took place over the Christmas has raised a total of €3,466.20.

The event, a vibrant celebration of Irish culture, featured stunning 20 minute performances in Newport, Westport and Castlebar, by the Moffatt School of Irish Dancers supported by Cuimsiu Fleadh musicians.

The funds will go towards providing support and services to children, young adults and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families in Co Mayo.

The event was the brainchild of Martin McFadden, who has been a long-time supporter of Western Care Association. Over the past seven years, Martin has raised funds by selling flowers in a Westport shop, and his dedication to the cause was evident as he attended the fundraiser and expressed his gratitude for the community’s involvement.

“It’s great that so many people turned out to support the Western Care fundraiser and it was great to see them enjoy wonderful dancing and music,” said Martin.

“I want to say a huge thank you to Sheila Moffatt and her dance troupe, who put on four fantastic performances.”

Western Care Association provides a range of services including Residential Services, Day Services, Family Support Services and Social and Recreational Activities.

Brendan Donovan of Western Care Association and event co-ordinator, said: “It’s been such a great event to organise. The engagement from the community has been amazing, from the dancers to the musicians to each of the venues. It’s been a true team effort. Mayo Comhaltas have been very involved and helped us with our launch a few weeks ago and it was great to have our Cuimsiu musicians there leading out each performance with the bodhran.”

A special mention was also given to Kennedy Travel, who provided transportation for the dancers and musicians, ensuring they could travel seamlessly between locations and keep the performances running smoothly.