TC/0595

New York group raises over £80,000 for Omagh Fund

THE Omagh Fund received a welcome boost when a fundraising group from New York donated over £80,000 to aid those affected by the Market Street bomb.
Committee members from the Omagh Relief Fund of New York handed over the cheque to members of Omagh District Council, having organised numerous fundraising events in the American city.
The fund was formed after natives of Tyrone living in the city organised a meeting in the Queens district of New York last August just after the atrocity to form the fundraising group.
"At the meeting the general consensus was that people just wanted to do something," said a spokesman.
Services to remember the dead and injured were arranged in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, and within a few weeks preparations were underway for fundraising events at Towerview in Queens and Gaelic Park in the Bronx, where most of the Irish American population lives.
"Individual committee members took on the challenge of identifying bands, sponsors, arranging posters and advertising material," said the group's spokesman.
"Keeping Omagh District Council informed of our plans and having their support, we had our first event at the Towerview, Queens, on October 11," he said.
Over 700 people turned out to see eight local bands perform, and a total of £18,750 was raised.
"We had our second fundraiser in Gaelic Park, Bronx, on November 6, when four bands including Irish band, Bagatelle, played to a packed house of over 1,200 people. That night was a great success with donations still pouring in. The total raised was over £50,000," he said.
The group held a third fundraising night in Gallaghers Steak House in Manhattan, on November 11.
"Having invited members of the business and commercial world, this was again a great success and we saw the fundraising efforts rise to £71,875," the spokesman said.
The fundraising efforts of the Omagh Relief Fund of New York continued with a dance in Long Island.
"The committee is delighted to have raised this amount. We thank the Irish and Irish-American population of New York for their generosity and goodness. We hope and pray it will give some comfort to those bereaved and injured on August 15," said the spokesman.
The committee members are Desmond Reid, Dermot McGonnell, Charlie Rodgers, Seamus McNabb, Caroline McNelis, Carmel McCusker, Marie McBride, Jim McBride, Mairead Moore, Dermot Clarke, Sean Downes, J.P. Delaney, Joan Rice, Geraldine Callaghan, Sheila Denning, Mairead McGurk, Stephen Quinn, Joan Henchy, Eddie Duncan, John Joe McGovern, Geraldine Burn, Eamon Reilly, Julie O'Riordan, Mary O'Riordan, Sean Rice, Pat Mills and Ann Donnelly.