The Mayor of Limerick has announced that the proceeds from this
year’s Mayor’s Ball in the city will to go to the local Lourdes Invalid
Fund as well as the local Saint Gabriels’ special school.
Cllr Maria Byrne said, “I'm delighted to be able to support two
special Limerick charities with which I have a long association.”
She
added, “This year will be my twenty year going to Lourdes as a helper
with the Lourdes Pilgrimage and I have been on the board of Saint
Gabriels for the past 13 years.”
The Limerick Pilgrimage to Lourdes has been in existence since the
1930's and takes place every June.
Speaking this week, local Pilgrimage
Director Fr Donal McNamara said “The funds raised will go towards the
costs of bringing in excess of one hundred Invalids to Lourdes.”
He
added, “As well as our invalids, we need to bring a large backup medical
team with us and they take time out of their work for the trip.”
Saint Gabriels' School in Dooradoyle is a registered charity, which
provides a range of education and therapy services to children and young
adults, with physical, intellectual, sensory disabilities and
developmental delay.
The Mayor's Ball takes place in the Strand Hotel in Limerick City on
Friday May 6 with this year's Ball having a sporting theme to represent
Limerick's year as European City of Sport.