Dainty daisies help victims of sexual abuse

RAPE Crisis Midwest will host the annual Dainty Daisy competition at Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis on Saturday next at 8pm.

Featuring men from across the county, it is a beauty pageant with a difference. All the men will dress in their best outfits, answer questions on stage and then perform a party piece. The host of the show this year is Tony Cogan, who was the overall winner of the competition last year.

The participants this year are Brian ‘Bodyke’ O’Dwyer, the manager of Brogan’s Bar in Ennis; Fr Ger Fitzgerald, a local priest; musician Damien Gormley; Cragganowen man Martin McMahon; teacher Rory Chesser; farmer and politician Paul Murphy; Tom Naughton from Tubber; Dermot Fetton, manager of the Cloisters Restaurant; surfer Dara Keane; Pa McLoughlin, who hails from Clarecastle; ESB employee Paul Whitmore and veterinary assistant Sean Linnane.

Rape Crisis Midwest’s Ennis office is located in Tracklands Business Park.

According to Verena Tarpey of Rape Crisis Midwest, “This centre serves the entire County of Clare and provides support and counselling to men and women who have survived childhood sexual abuse or recent rape or sexual assault. We receive no Government funding to service the overheads connected with the Ennis centre. This resulted in a temporary closure last September. This event is one of our key fundraisers taking place during the year and we hope to raise as much money as possible.”