by Evelyn Killeen-McCrann
‘I’m so excited’ to tell everyone who supported the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice 1980s Disco fundraiser in any way that we raised a total of €4,120.
I am also very proud to say I am a Rossie girl – having experienced so much generosity, kindness and helpfulness from my local Roscommon town community since I began organising the 1980s fancy dress disco in aid of Mayo/Roscommon Hospice.
This is a wonderful charity, close to all our hearts. I could not have organised the event without the help of local businesses and my old school pals from the 1980s who have encouraged and motivated me with great excitement and confidence from the outset.
I would like to thank the following businesses who donated spot prizes for the €5 raffle, best costumes and Name that Tune Competition: Satara Boutique, Hannon’s Hotel, The Curtain Centre, Abbey Hotel, The Hair-Port Hair Salon, Jackson’s Restaurant and Accommodation, Timothy’s Londis, Regan’s Gastro Pub, Rogue & Co Café, Abbey Meats, McGuinness Total Health Pharmacy, Molloy’s Pharmacy, Rosmed Pharmacy, the Skincare and Hair Spa, Assumpta’s Beauty Salon, The Cut Above Hair Salon, Burgoyne Hairdressing, Ardcarne Garden Centre, Future Flowers (Florist), Signature Flowers, Time Pieces, Ramone’s Hair Salon, Alter Ego Hair Salon, Sephora Boutique, Galaxy Hair and Beauty, Aphrodites Hair Studio, The Hair Boutique, Gleeson’s Hotel, The Pepper Mill Restaurant, The Comfy Café, Gerard McDermott wreath manufacturer, John Corcoran Menswear, Topline Ward’s Hardware store, McNeill’s Deli, Finn Electrical Expert.
Thanks also to the following businesses who bought tickets: The Pantry Café, Au Natural health and wellness store, the Lounge Barbers and Academy, Roscommon Sports (sportswear store), John Corcoran Menswear, Molloy’s Carry Out off-licence, Madden’s Meats, LTB Bathrooms, Rummage (Antiques, etc), Walsh’s of Castle Street, Gannon’s Furniture and Carpets, The Slaughter House discount store, Cycle Up Textiles, Shanagher Hearing, Kodak Express photo and Happy Scissors Hair Salon.
Thank you to Molloy’s Bakery, Abbeytown, Fleming’s SuperValu and Donnellan’s Lady & Co (both Main Street) and Hynes’ Pharmacy, Castle Street, who all offered to sell tickets for the event.
Thank you to everyone who made private donations to the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice charity both before and after the event.
I would like to thank sincerely thank the following people who also helped me make the Mayo/Roscommon fundraiser such a wonderful success: Larry O’Gara, who provided us with Nancy’s Nightclub to hold the charity event in and for allowing us access to the nightclub the evening before the event to enable my friends and I to prepare for the disco.
Seamus Duke, who kindly gave up his time to be our DJ for the night. He ‘Pumped up the Jam’ to keep us swarming onto the dancefloor jumping, jiving, hopping and boogeying, singing and swaying to the sounds and hits of the ‘80s until the early hours of the morning. ‘Thank you for the music’ Seamus!
Claire Hussey, for her beautifully displayed basket of flowers which she donated for the raffle.
Niamh’s Party Palace, who provided us with colourful balloons to transform the nightclub into a bright and cheerful party setting.
Sean Doyle Windows who sponsored the advertising of the event on Shannonside Radio and Shannonside Radio for making numerous announcements about the event. Also Michael Commins from Midwest Radio who announced the event on his radio show.
Newsround bookstore and Cormican’s Office and Art Supplies who donated the envelopes for the €5 raffle.
To the caring shop assistant in Homesavers who insisted on paying for the tablecloth which was used to display all the spot prizes and flower displays on the stage, a big thank you.
Paul Healy, Editor of the Roscommon People and James Fogarty, journalist with the Roscommon Herald for kindly publicising the event over the past couple of months.
To the very obliging Kathy Andrewartha from the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation office in Knock who designed and printed the posters and tickets for fundraiser.
Eithne Merriman who took time to design a striking brightly coloured backdrop for the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice fundraiser which was displayed on the Nancy’s stage during the event.
To my wonderful, reliable school pals from yesteryear who have supported me since last February when the preparations for the event began. They helped me with great enthusiasm to prepare the nightclub the evening before and carried out numerous tasks on the night. I could not have done it without them.
Thank you to Claire Finneran, Berni Maher, Edel Lynch, Eithne Merriman, Grainne Merriman, Rachel Feeley, Anne Tully, Ann Hanly, Michael Hussey and Seamus Golden and to my sister Sandra Connelly and my husband Fergal McCrann who has supported me all the way.
Lastly, a huge thank you to the hundreds of people who attended the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice 1980s Disco on Friday, August 9th.
You all helped to create a wonderful atmosphere in Nancy’s, on a night filled with endless fun and laughter. No-one was ‘Too Shy’ to get out onto the dancefloor for we were all ‘In the mood for dancing’ and willing to dance ‘All night Long’. Some of us took the opportunity to relive our teenage years by dressing up in 1980s garb, showing off our neon-coloured tops, lycra trousers, psychedelic dresses and skirts, black fishnets, high-waisted ripped knee denims, legwarmers, etc. Also, we cannot forget the big hair: back-combed, side ponytails and curls plus the bright hair bows and bands. As the lyrics from an old Elvis song go ‘It was a night, oh what a night, it really was such a night’.
Thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets. Congratulations to everyone who won a spot prize from the raffle and those who won a prize for best costume and to those who took part in the Name that Song competition.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works so diligently for Mayo/Roscommon Hospice foundation and wish them every success for the future. We are blessed to have Roscommon Hospice open in our town. It is such an excellent facility to have in our midst. May the charity continue to thrive and blossom as the years go on.
Forever thankful,
Evelyn Killeen-McCrann
