On todays Morning Focus with gavin Grace
Today Gavin went live from O'Gormans Cafe in Cahercalla Hospice for Coffee Morning. He met with many people who are involved with Cahercalla in one way or another.
Mary Moloney was the first on to speak with Gavin. She is the Fundraising Manager of Cahercalla. Mary explained that to raise funds for Cahercalla, it has always been a team effort. There are many arms to the operation ranging from fundraising administration and nursing to medical and pastoral care. She told us about the services the Hospice provides and all the people that help her out on a daily basis.Niamh Meere who is the ward manager joined Mary and Gavin and explained the daily routine in the hospice and why funds are needed to keep the place running.
The next two guests have had a very emotional journey with Caharcalla as it has been a place where they have lost loved ones. Theresa McGrath of Francis Street spoke about her husband Tom who passed away in January this year. He was a well known and loved man but was unfortunatly knocked down on Francis Street in September last year and it was then discovered he had prostate cancer. He was in care in Cahercalla for the last week of his life surrounded by his
family. Theresa says Cahercalla is like a home and wants to commend the care that patients and their family receive there. Her sister Nora also passed away 4 years ago and spent her last weeks in the care of Cahercalla hospice before passing away from Cancer. Mary Howard who is a Fine Gael Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Ennis from Claureen Ennis also commends the care in Cahercalla. Both her parents spent time in Cahercalla Hospice before passing away. More significantly her mother Breda passed away from Organ Cancer aged 51 during Christmas of 1991. Michael Guerin (RIP) was responsible for the fundraising for the first Morphine Pump for which Breda benefitted from. Breda left behind 8 kids and 8 siblings amd couple of her children were born in the room that she passed away in. Breda spent her last 5/6 days in Cahercalla before passing away there. Mary wants to highlight the fantastic care and comfort her mother and family received. Mary's father Michael Howard also received care in the hospice before passing away from Liver cancer in Feb 2009. Becasue of the care they took of her mother and father, Mary has been heavily involved in fundraising for the Hospice everything from selling christmas cards, church gate collections and bed pushes.
There were coffee mornings held all across the county for Cahercalla. Marie Connellnan from Ard Na Greine Ennis, is hosting a coffee DAY from 9 am, an all day coffee day, at her home and all is in aid of Cahercalla. Aidan Looney is principle of St. Joseph's National School Miltown Malbay is hosting a coffee morning in the school this morning from 10.30 to 12noon. Anna Willis from Clarecastle is also involved with Castle Coffee House and Eatery Clarecastle hosting a coffee morning this morning from 9 am to 11.30.
Next to speak to Gavin in O'Gormans Cafe are two of Cahercallas volunteers Mary Hynes and Mary Haugh. Mary Hynes of Limerick Rd Ennis volunteers with The Clare Hospice at Caheralla, was named as Hospice Sunflower Hero at an event in Dublin on May 7th to mark the launch of National Sunflower Days next week. The award was presented to Mary by the well known RTE Nationwide presenter, Mary Kennedy. Mary, who has volunteered with The Clare Hospice at Cahercalla for 10 years, was nominated for her faithful, honest and encouraging contribution to the service. Mary is a talented knitter and she helps the patients to knit items of clothing that are then sent to orphanages. Mary Haugh of Moyasta, is also a fundraising volunteer at Cahercalla for almost 25 years now. Her late father Daniel Haugh was a patient in Cahercalla, he was diagnosed with liver cancer at 71 and died at the hospice four weeks later on the 11th of November 1990. This came suddenly and was an enormous shock for Mary and her family but she said his care and the care given to them was outstanding.
Adding to the atmosphere in O'Gormans cafe, Johnny Duhan gives the coffee drinkers a few songs. The Irish singer/songwriter started his career as a fifteen year old front man with Granny’s Intentions, the most popular beat group in Ireland in the 60s. After rousing Dublin with their soul touch, they moved to London, were signed to the prestigious Deram label, enjoyed considerable success and disbanded before Johnny was twenty one. Johnny started writing folk songs, poetry and prose at this stage. In a career spanning 40 years, his greatest achievement is a quartet of epic albums – Just Another Town, To The Light, The Voyage and Flame – which correspond to the four chapters of his lyrical autobiography, TO THE LIGHT. Johnny’s songs are sung worldwide in a variety of languages, thanks to the focus put on them by Christy Moore, The Dubliners, Mary Black and hosts of other Irish and international singers. His song The Voyage has become a modern classic. Christy Moore has termed Johnny “One of our greatest songwriters.” And the late Ronnie Drew described him as “one of my favourite songwriters.” Johnny sang his songs 'The Voyage' and 'creation'. He will play The Townhall in Galway City this Friday night the 18th of September.
Michelle Flannery from Busy Bee Garden Centre & Tea Rooms in Clondrinagh Ennis Road, Limerick joined Gavin in Cahercalla and she spoke about Spring flowering bulbs which you plant now for the Spring either in containers or in the garden. Also she spoke about what to plant into window boxes and hanging baskets for the Autumn/Winter. Michelle will join us again next week for more “In the Garden” – queries and suggestions to [email protected].
Sean Reidy met with Leslie Coote who is the activities coordinator at the hospital, where she discussed life in the nursing home, the activities the patients participate in on a daily basis and he also sat in with the new choir who gave him a song or two.
More people are involved in the coffee morning across the county.Shirley Benson works with the Cahercalla Hospice Charity Shop. Orla Ni Eili is the Project CoOrdinator of the Clare Immigrant Support Centre which is hosting a fundraising coffee morning for Cahercalla Hospice today between 12.30 and 14.00 in CISC office at Unit 13 Carmody Street Business Park, Ennis. Mary Meade from Deerpark in Newmarket-on-Fergus is holding aCoffee Morning at her home, Minister’s Cross, Deerpark, 10 am – 2 pm. in aid of Cahercalla Hospice.
What is a coffee morning without a professional Barista? Alan Andrews from Birdhill is a Coffee Expert in The Coffee Culture Training Academy which is a purpose built, competition standard training academy. Courses include Barista Level One and Two, Certificate in Barista Skills, Barista Mentor One day Workshop (for owners and managers), Milk Chemistry Class, Advanced Latte Art and many more. Est in March 2013. He conducted some demonstations for us on site.
Clare FMs very own Eoin O'Neill from the West Wind played the buzuki with Quentin Cooper, a North Clare musician who played the Banjo. The crowd were very entertained with the music provided by Eoin and Quentin.
