Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, hosted a reception in the Cloughmore Centre, Rostrevor, on Friday 8 July 2016 to recognise the outstanding fundraising undertaken by Micky McKevitt and Eamonn O’Connor for the restoration of Kilbroney Parish Church.
Speaking at the reception, Councillor Fitzpatrick said: “When Eamonn and Micky learned that the historic Kilbroney Parish Church was under imminent threat and required £250,000 of urgent restoration work, they decided to fund raise towards its restoration. However, a simple fundraiser was not on their agenda. Together they devised an incentive to walk the entire breadth of Ireland – a total distance of over 300 kilometres in nine days!
“Starting on Thursday 28 April they passed through Dundalk, Carrickmacross, Foothill, Ballyconnell, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballaghadereen, Swinford, Castlebar, Westport, finally arriving in Murrisk on Friday 6 May. And if that wasn’t enough, Eamonn and some of the supporters went on to climb Croagh Patrick the next day. In total over £5,000 was raised and what makes this momentous achievement even more special is the fact that Eamonn and Micky are not members of the Kilbroney Church community.
“The Council’s vision for our district includes fostering communities that are cohesive, actively engaged in civic life protecting an environment that can be enjoyed today and sustained for future generations. It is important to highlight and celebrate the achievement of people such as Micky and Eamonn, and indeed all people committed to this fund-raising effort. This community spirit is what makes our district so special and will help the Council to achieve our vision.
As Chairperson of Newry Mourne and Down Council, I would like to thank Eamonn and Micky for their fund raising efforts. They are a wonderful example of people in our district who consider all of their neighbours as friends, help when help is needed; and people who know the importance of preserving a beautiful building for generations to come”.
The Chairperson wished the community of Kilbroney Parish Church success in achieving the targeted amount needed to fully restore their much loved Church.
If you are interested in fund raising for Kilbroney Parish Church, please contact Kennedy Roberts on 07496 018411 or email:
kennedy.roberts@btinternet.com
