Drumconrath's €2,000 to help establish SOSAD in Kingscourt

Over €2,000 has been raised so far through a concert in Drumconrath Parish Centre on Sunday 27th November, which will go towards the running of the Kingscourt centre of the SOSAD (Save Our Sons And Daughters) charity, which it is planned to open later this month. The evening of music, song and dance was organised by Larry Ward from Drumconrath and it included The Farney Singers, with director Carmel Doherty. Readings from works by Patrick Kavanagh were recited by Art Agnew and other artistes were singer Dylan Dardis and local schoolgirl Sharon McCluskey who gave a stellar performance of 'On My Own' and 'I Dreamed A Dream'. The Sonata Singers performed, as did Brian Clarke, who competed in an RTE's All-Ireland Talent Show a few years ago. Brian and Lenore McGahan sang a piece from 'Phantom of the Opera', while soprano Lenore McGahan sang a beautiful rendition of 'Nella Fantasia'. Lenore McGahan, Agnes Halpenny, Bernadette Byrne, Pat Duff and Michael Duff performed a comedy sketch called 'The Doctor's Surgery' and had the audience in stitches…of laughter! Pat Duff and Lenore McGahan sang 'The Old Home By The River' and 'Golden Haired Jane', poems written by poet Patrick Reilly who was born near the lake of Ballyhoe on the Meath-Monaghan border in 1825. The poems were set to music some years back by the late Fr Cuffe who then parish priest in Drumconrath. Larry Ward from Drumconrath has written a book on Patrick Reilly, entitled 'The Bard of Balnavoran and The Author of The Rural Harp 1825-1895, Reflections And Insights'. Reilly was a poet, musician and schoolteacher and was principal in Drumconrath National School from 1852-1868. He produced a collection of 57 poems entitled 'The Rural Harp', which was published in Drogheda in 1861. The year 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of its publication and Larry launched his book in November last year. Singer and guitarist Eimear Carroll also performed, as did Paddy Reilly and Tommy Duff on fiddle and accordion played a selection of traditional Irish music pieces. Local Irish dancer Darren Beirne, who won the Irish Dance World Championships in Philadelphia two years ago, gave a magnificent display of Irish dancing. The choir, artistes and audience joined together for a rendition of the seasonal song 'I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas'. MC for the concert was Peter Ludlow from Drumconrath and each performer gave of their time on a voluntary basis, for which the organisers and local SOSAD committee are very appreciative. Last March, Frances Owens from Drumconrath set up a local group to increase awareness of suicide and to provide support for families and help prevent it. Frances lost a nephew last February through suicide and this sad incident motivated her to highlight the issue and aim to establish a help centre in the north-east area. Frances says that the aim was to establish a centre to help those at risk of suicide. After setting up the local support group to raise awareness of suicide, she contacted the SOSAD organisation in Drogheda with a view to setting up a centre for the north-east area in Kingscourt. It is planned to open the centre in a few weeks' time and to have it open from Monday to Friday. The 24-hour phone number for the centre is (042) 966 8992. The support centre in Kingscourt will cover the surrounding areas of Baileboro, Meath Hill, Carrickleck, Nobber, Kilmainhamwood, Drumconrath, Shercock and Carrickmacross. The local SOSAD support group in Drumconrath and surounding areas includes chairperson Frances Owens, secretary Maria Connelly, committee members Gerry Callan, Fr Finian Connaughton Margaret Carolan, Pat and Julia Cusack, Patricia Daly, Regina Daly, Tara Daly, Catherine Elebert, Eileen Ludlow, Evelyn Lynch, Pat Martin, Thelma McLoughlin, Noel Owens, Eileen Rafferty, Kathleen Reilly, Mary Rooney, Daphne Rowntree and Betty Walsh. Frances Owens paid tribute to everyone who has helped in any way in the group's work, which has led to the establishment in Kingscourt of the local SOSAD centre. Volunteers, especially counsellors, are needed for the new centre.