By Dionne Meehan
A UNIQUE fundraiser has been set up to help with the restoration of Drumoghill Chapel.
St Columba’s Church is a small chapel located 10 minutes outside Letterkenny in Drumoghill, Manorcunningham.
Considered by many as the “heart” of Drumoghill’s bright, caring and connected local community for almost 200 years, the building has fallen into a state of dilapidation in recent times.
From First Holy Communions to Confirmations, marriages to deaths, one local parishioner said “if the walls of Drumoghill Chapel could talk, they would tell our community’s story”.
However, due to the deterioration of the chapel, parishioners have been forced to attend Mass in their local Resource Centre for the past year.
With restoration work now underway, unfortunately a substantial shortfall in funding still remains.
Wanting to help out, staff from Manorcunningham Resource Centre launched a Charity Copper Trial last week.
Speaking to the Donegal News about the fundraiser, Chairperson of the Manorcunningham Resource Centre, Carmel Doherty, said so far the response has been absolutely brilliant.
“People think it is a brilliant idea.
“I’m sure like ourselves most people have a plate or a jar in the house that they throw loose change into, always meaning to bag it and get it changed, but we never seem to get around to it.
“We are asking family, friends or indeed anybody who would like to help to consider donating this loose change to our fundraising effort as every single penny counts and it all adds up,” she said.
Manor Men’s Shed also played their part in this amazing fundraiser.
“The men in the Manorcunningham Men’s Shed have kindly made a wishing well for us so that people can drop their money into it, with the ‘wish’ that we will raise a substantial amount of money from our Copper Trail,” Carmel said.
“The wishing well is located in the Manorcunningham Resource Centre just inside the front door, it has a lock and is safe for anyone that would like to donate their loose change.
“You don’t have to bag the money, you can just empty the coins into the wishing well,” she said.
With money coming from “all directions” since the fundraiser was launched last week, Carmel reminded the public that no matter how small the donation “it all adds up”.
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