Super supporters

Pictured recently are Sean Hughes, Brendan Rafferty, Johnny Traynor, Martin McCumiskey and Danny Ferguson who presented a cheque for €600 to purchase two goats for Bóthar.

Majella and Mairead McParland from Newry, Co. Armagh who have made a magazine for their local community and family which is all about what happens on their farm, farming stories and anything in general to do with farming. After doing a school project about Bóthar the girls decided to include a story about Bóthar. The article was entitled ‘Bóthar; Aid that works’ and the girls asked their readers to donate money for Bóthar. Through their article the girls raised £200 sterling for Bóthar!

In conversation between a few friends in the local "The Ass Market" in Glasson, Co Athlone, Bóthar was mentioned as being a very natural way in helping the needy. In light of this a small group of patrons decided to buy a plastic pig and leave it on display over Christmas with some information on Bóthar. The response was great. Young and old contributed 5 Euro to 50 Euro with 100 Eurp being donated by a visiting couple on the last night, giving a great boost to the total amount raised of 500.73 Euro Many thanks to all who contributed!

Pictured on their wedding day are Catriona & Brian O’Sullivan, The happy couple travelled to Tanzania and Kenya on their honeymoon where they visited a Masai village and were deeply touched by the experience. As a gift Catriona and Brian’s family sponsored a dairy camel in Kenya in their through Bóthar. The family named the camel the “Sullivan Camel

Pictured are Aisling, Niamh and Liadh from Maudlintown Co. Wexford who raised €600 for Bóthar by holding a coffee morning. The girls had menus written up and had baked muffins, cookies, cakes, pies and pizzas. The girls sold these along with coffee, cappuccinos, tea and hot chocolate to raise the money. The girls are hoping to continue fundraising for Bóthar.

Frances Murphy of the Dublin Bóthar office recently went to St. Josephs N.S in Hacketstown, Co. Carlow to receive a presentation of €900 from the students who had raised the money by carol singing and wanted to send 3 goats to Africa. While at the school Frances met a member of the teaching staff Ms. Pauline Bolger who organized and co-ordinated the fund raising event, Pauline happens to be an former school friend of Frances from Co. Clare when they attended Quin National School back in the sixties, and they hadn't met up for 43 years!! Pauline went on to do teaching and Frances went on to do nursing before joining Bóthar and little did they think that their paths would cross again in such a fitting way. Congratulations to the great efforts of Pauline and the pupils of St. Josephs National School, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow.

The Bingo community in Kingscourt recently presented a cheque for €3057 to Frances Murphy from the Bóthar Dublin Office, many thanks to their efforts and generosity.

Pictured is Jack Collins who is six years old. On Jacks birthday he decided that instead of getting presents that he would like to make a donation to Bóthar instead. Jack raised €350 towards the Bóthar projects.

Padraic and Daire McGrath who donated some of the money they received from their Holy Communion and conformation this year to Bóthar.

Anne Stafford and Bridget MaCabe who collected all of the old coins out of the holy well, the total was 200 Euro, they decided to bring up the balance themselves and donated 300 Euro to sponsor a dairy goat.

These children from Passage West in Cork decided over Christmas to raise money for Bóthar. The group went from door to door for three nights, in costume, carol singing. They had aimed to raise enough money to send one dairy goat to Tanzania but also raised enough for 3 hives of honey bees! The group was organised by the Farr family who had originally been carol singing on their own. The venture was great fun and taught the children that Christmas is not only about presents but also about doing good for others.

Pictured on the right is Betty Murphy from The Secular Franciscan order in Graiguecullen Co. Carlow. Betty recently donated 900 Eurp to Bóthar. Betty raised this money by taking cuttings of her garden shrubs and re planting them in recycled plant pots. Betty takes care of them until they are big enough to sell and then Betty sells them in Doyle’s Super value 3 days a week. What a lovely way to raise funds!

Pictured in Russia is Fearghal O'Nuallain from Delgany in Co. Wicklow. Fearghal raised 3,487 Euro for Bóthar by cycling from Wicklow across Europe to in final destination in Russia. This was a long and arduous journey that Fearghal completed on his own that took a great amount of effort and courage. Well done to Fearghal for completing this amazing journey.

Students from St. Marys N.S., Blessington, Co. Wicklow who raised 800 Eurp to sponsor a goat, a trio of rabbits, a flock of hens and three hives of honey bees. The pupils raised the money by having a Pajama day, a cake sale and they also made cards to sell. Well done and thank you to all involved.

Moira Harley from Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal decided that she would not like to receive presents for her birthday and instead would like to receive donations for Bóthar. With the donations she received Moira was able to sponsor a dairy goat through Bóthar. Many thanks Moira for your birthday gift!

Photographed from left to right are Eilish O’Callaghen, Stella O’Sullivan, Bernie Murphy back row D.C Callaghen and SR Mirian. The small group of supporters from Mallow raised e1800 for a dairy cow.

Students and staff of Ardscoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway have celebrated their first ever Boganza, This consisted of ‘Bog-lympics’ and a ‘Bogger of Ballinasloe’ competition. In the ‘Bog-lympics’ students stacked turf, conquered the spud and spoon race and the welly throwing event. The afternoon saw the Ballinasloe Boggers take to the stage for the ‘Bogger of Ballinasloe’ competition. Boggers of all shapes and sizes, sporting flat caps, wellies, overalls and bailing twine and chewed the cud. After difficult deliberation Willy O’Jamjar (also known as leaving cert student Nicola Glynn) was chosen as the ‘Bogger of Ballinasloe’. She was awarded the Golden Welly and a very lifelike Friesian cow. Thanks to the efforts and generosity of the students over 1,000 Euro was raised for Bóthar!

Darragh Liddy is five years old and attends Mochulla N.S. in Tulla Co. Clare. As one of our youngest donors this is his second time contributing to Bóthar. Darragh donated 20 Euro because he said he wanted to help other children who are living in poor countries. Thank you Darragh!

The boys from 5th class in St. Mary’s C.B.S Primary school Tipperary decided to have a cake sale to raise money for Bothar. All of the parents and teachers contributed to the sale and the boys themselves made Rice Krispie buns. The rest of the students and teachers bought the cakes and buns and a grand total of 350 Euro was raised. The money is going towards a dairy goat and the Tsunami relief fund.

In order to raise money for the charity Bóthar, St. Munchin’s C.B.S., Shelbourne Rd; Limerick ran a sponsored walk on Tuesday 17th June.
We are an all boy’s school of 84 children and with the help of our Parent Teacher Association we raised €1000. The walk took place locally and the pupils raised the money in their neighbourhoods.
On Tuesday 24th June, a representative from ‘Bóthar’ came to our school and we presented her with a cheque. With the monies raised, we are buying two goats for Tanzania and two yaks for Tibet. Due to the huge success of the sponsored walk, we are hoping to make this an annual event.

The Cork Institute of Technology Artsfest is an annual opportunity for students, staff, and the wider community to experience international, national and local artists on the campuses of CIT. From the 19th- 21st of November Artsfest 2007 took place, presenting a sensory feast to entice, engage and entertain. The Culinary Arts 1 class took part by creating, producing and running a culinary stand. With thousands of students passing through the doors of CIT's Student Centre every day we were able to sell all our home-made food produce. The enthusiasm of the class and the support of family, friends and lecturers ensured that our market was a complete success. All proceeds went to our chosen charity Bóthar.

Pictured here is Joy Dowling with Head of Department, Tourism and Hospitality Studies, CIT, Adrian A. Gregan and members of Culinary Arts 1, presenting the proceeds of their Artsfest fundraiser to Jeremy Meehan, Director of Education, Bóthar.