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Corr violin assists Omagh Fund to the tune of 2,500 'notes'

A VIOLIN owned by Sharon Corr raised a four-figure sum for the Omagh Fund in Ireland's first celebrity Online Auction on the Internet.
The auction, which featured over £20,000 in total, took place from September 1 to 24, and received a wealth of unique items, donated by top celebrities from the world of entertainment, music and sport.
The auction came about through a collaboration between Omagh District Council and two Belfast-based Internet service providers Rosenet Ltd. and Rosebank Internet Services Ltd.
In total there were 97 items, and the key items included: a violin owned by Sharon Corr (£2,500); Michael Schumacher's baseball cap (£235); Eddie Jordan's shirt (£280); Ireland International football shirt (£240); a Father Ted cast photograph (£100); an Austin Powers video autographed by Elizabeth Hurley (£40); a Notting Hill book signed by Hugh Grant (£35); an autographed Robert Carlyle T-shirt (£125), and a pair of Michael Flatley's shoes (£495).
One of those involved in the auction, Mr. Alan Boyd, of Rosenet Ltd., said the auction was a huge success, with 1,000 'hits' on the site within 15 minutes of its launch.
"The auction was a truly global appeal, with visitors from the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and various other countries registering with, and bidding on the auction," Mr. Boyd said.
"Bidding proved to be quite heated on the last day, with those people ready to register last-minute bids clinching their desired item," he added.
The auction also held a number of free prize draws over the three-week period with prizes donated by various sponsors, and a variety of big businesses also lent their support to the imaginative online fundraiser.
"The support we have received from around the world has been amazing and celebrities have been very generous in donating items to help the people of Omagh.
"We are hoping the auction will become a continuous online event to benefit other charities, including the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund," Mr. Boyd said.