Rural Wexford cafe raises 1,500 in two hours for RNLI

A café owner in Foulksmills, Wexford, holds an annual business birthday fundraiser for a chosen charity, drawing hundreds to the rural village. For the third birthday of Maria’s Cupán Tae, the event included a barbeque with fresh local produce, live music, and a display of vintage cars, supported by donations from local businesses. Activities were scaled back because people have less money, but the fundraising results were still strong. Last year’s fundraiser raised €2,500 for the National Maternity Hospital, reflecting limited services for children in the south east and the need for families to travel for treatment. This year, a cheque for €1,500 was presented to the Fethard RNLI, with an additional €200 raised by staff who gave up their tip jar for two weeks.

"This year, for the third birthday of Maria's Cupán Tae, the popular event held in Foulksmills on Sunday, May 10, under the beaming sunshine included a barbeque with fresh, local produce, live music by Luke Whitty and a display of vintage cars, which was a "true community effort" as donations were made towards the day by Scallans, O'Neill's and Coffee House Lane."

"Maria said certain activities were scaled back in comparison to last year, as she's conscious "people just don't have it and money is tighter for everyone, but I think for what we did on the day, the amount that we raised in such a short time is amazing". Last year's successful fundraiser, that raised a total of €2,500, was in aid of the National Maternity Hospital which was inspired by a local family who regularly visit Maria's Cupán Tae."

"As the event began to wind down, Maria presented a cheque to the Fethard RNLI for €1,500, but inclusive to that donation, was €200 raised by staff members, Leah, Lucy and Jess who "thoughtfully gave up their tip jar for two weeks, with the money going to the RNLI instead"."

""The weather was lovely and I think we got spoilt last year. It's very hard to pick a day when there's nothing else on and Wexford is so busy with events at the moment," she said. The fundraiser was also an acknowledgement of how there are no services as such provided to children in the south east, and families must travel to receive various life-saving treatments."

Read at Irish Independent