A golf classic in aid of a Laois cancer support charity has raised more than €14,700.
Portarlington Gold Club was a hive of activity recently with all proceeds raised on the day going in aid of the Cuisle Centre in Portlaoise.
The idea for the event came from Donal Walsh who has used the services of the Cúisle centre since last October when he received a bowel cancer diagnosis.
Donal, who is from The Heath, received so much support from Rita, Joe and all the team there that, after he started feeling well again, he decided that he would like to do a little bit of fundraising to give a little back.
Donal, having played golf since he was young, decided that a golf classic was the way to go.
Portarlington golf club, where he is a committee member donated the use of the course for the day.
On the day Donal had 41 teams registered to play. He also had many tee box sponsors. There were visitors from all over Ireland coming from as far as Antrim, Fermanagh and Waterford.
There was even one or two well known footballers – Richie Connor and Séamus Darby to name a few.
Donal’s wife Karen and his sister Emma ran a raffle with the main prizes being a signed Shane Lowry tees-hirt and a LGFA Laois jersey which Mo Nerney got the ladies to sign.
The raffle raised over €4,500 itself and the total raised on the day was €14,470.
Golf prizes were sponsored by Walsh Draughting Services, Colgan Sports and Brendan Macnamara (Irish Association of Steel Fabricators).
Karen said: “We were blown away by the generosity of those who donated raffle prizes, sponsored teams/tee boxes and purchased tickets on the day.
“It was testament to how many peoples lives have been touched by cancer that so many wanted to give back to a service which provides such support and care for families affected by the disease.”
With a score of 57.6, a team consisting of John Booth, Noreen O’Grady, Peter Booth and Eddie Fitzpatrick finished first.
Denis Booth, Paul Monnolly, Donal O’Gorman and Richie Twomey came second with 57.7.
While Dessie Baker, Mick Dempsey, Dominic Hartnett and Alan Hartnett were third with a score of 58.
The non-GUI prize was won by Anthony Heffernan, Paddy Kearns, Leo Deffan and Richard Murphy with 54.8.
Peter Dennison won Nearest The Pin while Dylan Sheena won the Longest Drive.
Check out some great pictures below:
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