Seniors annual dinner returns in Newport
Image 1 of 3
Rhona and John Coleman, with Margaret Kelleher at the Newport-Birdhill Senior Citizens Dinner.Image 2 of 3
Nora Coffey (centre) with her mother, Mary, one of the founding organisers of the Newport-Birdhill Senior Citizens Annual Dinner, and Alice Ryan attending the Annual Dinner at the Lakeside Hotel.Image 3 of 3
RIGHT: Siobhan Egan, entertaining the gathering at the Newport-Birdhill Senior Citizens Annual Dinner.After a lapse of three years, due to the pandemic restrictions, the Annual Newport-Birdhill Senior Citizens Dinner has returned to the annual calendar of events by popular request.
Nearly 100 people attended the four-course dinner at the Lakeside Hotel, Ballina, organised by the committee comprising of Mary Coffey and Joe Kennedy, both founder members of the event, which has been running for over two decades and joined for the first time by Kathleen Bradley.
There was a moment of quiet prayer led by Rev Fr John O'Keeffe, PP, before the meal, to remember those who had passed to their eternal reward since the last annual dinner in 2019.
As the hotel staff served up a beautiful meal in the social setting, there was time to exchange memories and friendships, following which there was a draw for the usual huge collection of spot prizes, which almost delivered one for everyone in the gathering.
Musician, Seamus O'Toole and friends then took to the stage to provide entertainment for the remainder of the evening, which was mixed with solo contributions from members of the gathering before the afternoon came to a close.
Thanks was expressed to Danny Ryan and family, Knockaunbawn, Newport for their contribution of proceeds from their annual Garden Party towards the funding of the event.