Dancing shoes on for cancer charity

PEOPLE from across 12 towns and villages in East Clare will be taking steps to raise funds for cancer research as they prepare to launch Strictly Come Dancing East Clare next week.

The event is the brainchild of Scariff woman, Martina Minogue, together with a 10-strong committee from across the East Clare area.
Having come out the other side of cancer twice, it is her intention to run this initiative “on behalf of all those in East Clare who have had cancer and would like to do a fundraiser but who may not have had the opportunity”.
“I came up with this idea. I had cancer twice in the last three and a half years and a lot of people, who have had cancer appreciate all the care they are given in hospital and would like to do a fundraiser but never get round to it. This event is being run on behalf of all those in East Clare. We have 10 people on the committee, one from each parish.
“Of these people, a number have had cancer themselves or they have had a direct family member or close friend who has had cancer so everyone involved has been affected,” Martina outlined.
It was agreed by the committee that 50% of the funds raised would go towards the children’s cancer research appeal at Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin and 50% would go to the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation in Limerick.
On Wednesday, Strictly Come Dancing East Clare will be officially launched at Scariff Community College at 7.30pm. This will kick start the fundraising effort. The committee is aiming to raise local sponsorship to be able to stage the event on Friday, August 31 at the West County Hotel in Ennis.
Planning for the event started two months ago and in that time, dancing couples have been sourced from Bodyke, Broadford, Feakle, Flagmount/Killanena, Kilkishen, Mountshannon, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Ogonnelloe, Scariff, Tulla, Tuamgraney and Whitegate.
Couples chosen from the Mountshannon area include Perry Cronin and Anna Geoghegan, while Shay O’Neill and Louise Hayes will represent Tuamgraney. Other participants’ details will be released as the fundraising drive gets underway.
Over a 10-week period, beginning this Thursday up until August 30, these couples will train with a professional dance instructor at the hall in Scariff Community College where they will learn the art of zumba and salsa dancing.
For further details, on sponsorship or donations please contact chairperson Martina Minogue on 087 9180619.