PARTY AGAINST POVERTY

Basically every ladies football club and every camogie club in the province are being asked to hold a ‘Party Against Poverty’ between Easter Sunday and the end of April in order to raise much needed funds for those less fortunate than us.

The night was co-hosted by Mary Keegan and Catherine O Hara and the Balmoral Hotel was littered with not only stars of the ladies football and camogie game but a host of other GAELS such as Ronan Clarke, Oisin Mc Conville, Ryan Mc Menamin, Paddy Cunningham, Graham Clarke, Kevin Campbell and Karl Mc Keegan to name but a few. Trocaire’s Eithne Mc Nulty and Gemma Mc Court gave the large attendance a fascinating insight into Uganda and to where the money raised will be spent.

It has been agreed that the monies raised will be used to fund three projects in the Gulu and Lira regions of North Uganda. Firstly it is hoped to sink three water bore holes which will then service the water needs of approximately 5, 000 people. Secondly the project will continue to support women in their struggle to get land rights after the civil war which has ravaged the country for over twenty years. Finally it is hoped to deliver a women’s empowerment project to approximately 25 groups in the region.

The evening finished with words of encouragement and support from Oisin Mc Conville, Sr. Mairead, Jane Adams and Gerry Doherty. The last word of the night was left to Catherine O Hara who reminded us all – ‘That we may not be able to change the world but we can make a difference’.

If anyone would like to support this initiative and host a party or make a donation they can go to the Ulster ladies website at www.ulsterladiesgaelic.com, click on the PARTY AGAINST POVERTY logo located in the top right hand corner. This will then allow you to either donate or register for a pack. Anyone planning to organise an event for the Party Against Poverty initiative can contact Paul Swift at pswift5@eircom.net or paul.swift@armagh.gov.uk to have it advertised on the Ulster ladies website.