Drop Down Menu
  Search...
 

Racehorse bids gallop to €15,000 26.11.07

A BIG-hearted Inishowen syndicate fronted by hotelier Sean Keogh have bid a whopping €15,000 for the one-year lease of a racehorse to help the Make A Wish Foundation charity.
Michelle McColgan, left, from Muff and Ciara Doherty, Buncrana shine in their evening dresses. The bid was the highest amount paid for any of the lots that went under the hammer at the fabulous 02 Make a Wish Foundation Oscars Ball in Buncrana on Friday night. Early estimates suggest that more than €45,000 was raised on the night.
Other auction money-spinners were tickets to see Celine Dion in Paris that went for €3,400; tickets for the Real Madrid v Villareal match in Madrid in January fetched €1,400; a walk-on part in soap Emmerdale made €1,800;
the Ireland v Scotland Six Nations game at Croke Park in February made, €1,700 and a corporate box to see Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance at the Millennium Forum in February plus a signed poster of the event fetched, €1,900. Also under the hammer was the Man Utd v Liverpool match at Old Trafford in March with flights and accommodation that checked in at a cool €2,100 while a gallon of specially-labelled Make A Wish Tyrconnel Whiskey fetched €500. A signed Padraig Harrington golf jacket took in €1,100 while a Formula 1 shirt signed by Lewis Hamilton made €750.
The eagerly-awaited ball did not disappoint with the weeks and months of hard work by organisers, Francis Callaghan, Alison Hegarty, Frances Gill and many others in evidence from start to close.
From the red carpet picture parade with Marilyn Munro and Laurel and Hardy to the champagne reception, the five-course dinner and great performances by X Factor finalists Journey South and the legendary Drifters, the event was a fun and surprise-filled extravaganza throughout.
Actor Dominic Brunt who plays 'Paddy Kirk' in Emmerdale picks up his Oscar in Buncrana.
North West co-ordinator for the Make a Wish Foundation Francis Callaghan paid tribute last night to everyone who contributed to the success of the event. "Early estimates suggest the event raised around €45,000 which was absolutely amazing," he said. "All the money raised on the night will go towards providing wishes for children with a life-threatening illness between the ages three to 18 years in the North West."
For more photographs from the event, click here .
Return to > News