This article is from page 37 of the 2007-05-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 37 JPG
A NATIONAL charity won’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth this June bank holiday weekend as a line of horse-drawn carriages makes a 150 mile journey to west Clare in a bid to raise money.
The unusual cavalcade, benefiting the Barretstown therapeutic recrea- tion programme, will saddle up in Kildare at 6am on Saturday, June 2 before travelling south.
Local volunteer Noreen O’Brien said that at least 20 carriages as well
as horse boxes and support staff from the Kildare Horse Driving Club will pass through Killaloe on Saturday afternoon before stopping in Inagh for the night.
“I got involved because my kids are into showjumping and we have friends in this club in Kildare. One of the organisers, Pat Commane, 1s originally from Miltown Malbay so that inspired a ‘Kildare to Clare’ trip. We are distributing lines locally and there will be buckets for dona- tions as they pass through.”
The cavalcade will leave Inagh at
midday on Sunday, June 3 arriving in Miltown Malbay an hour later and finishing in Quilty in the afternoon. There will be more fundraising that night in the Quilty Tavern with mu- sic and a raffle as the club try to pass the post for their €15,000 target.
Ms O’Brien added that the entire operation would be massive.
“The line itself is only one thing. They will have lorries with horse boxes because they will change to fresh horses every 10 miles, as well as a bus in front of them. Barrets- town is the only facility of its kind
in Ireland. It is like a summer camp for children recovering from serious illnesses so it’s a huge effort but for a very worthy cause.”
She said that anyone with their own carriage can join the line along the way but regretfully sulkies are ex- cluded because they are not covered by insurance.
It is hoped that the event will be successful enough to ride again next year.
To make a donation and support Barretstown, telephone Noreen on 065-7084708.