From goalkeeper to matchmaker

TAKE Me Out West Clare Style will throw in at 8pm on Sunday evening in The Armada Hotel, Spanish Point. More regularly seen keeping the ball out of the Clare senior football team’s net, goalkeeper Joe Hayes will act as master of ceremonies.

The principal event organisers, Kelly Power from Quilty who lives in Cooraclare and Maeve Foley from Tullycrine who lives in Annagh, have both given birth to premature babies in recent years. Kelly’s son, Cian, will be three in April, while Maeve’s daughter Abbey is 16 months old.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to the neo-natal unit in the Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital in Limerick, the Brú Columbanus charity in Cork and the Irish Premature Babies’ Association.
Kelly is confident that everything is in place for an eventful night and is confident that Joe will deliver with microphone in hand.

“I trust that Joe will pull it out of the bag. He is great craic,” Kelly revealed. However, she delivered a blood-curdling warning to some of Joe’s teammates who will be in the Armada, relying on him to sort them with a date.

“God help some of the Clare footballers taking part; Joe will make show of them,” she laughed.

“He has been great help, along with Enda Coughlan, Maeve’s partner. They have been sorting all the lads out and keeping them updated on everything,” she added.

Date-seeking ladies will have their finger on the buzzer, while the men will be doing their best to convince them to take them out.

“If a boy gets a date, they will be going to Shifters for the date and an interview with the gorgeous Karen Gould-McInerney. It will be recorded and video-linked back into the room where Take Me Out is taking place,” Kelly explained.

All of the girls will have their hair and make-up done, while two tickets for a Manchester United game will be on offer.

“I just hope that it will be a success. Myself and Maeve have put so much work into this and we don’t want to let the charities down, after we promising to raise money. We both owe so much to the nurses in the neo-natal unit in Limerick. We wouldn’t have our little monsters if it wasn’t for them,” Kelly joked, adding that she is confident a few participants could hit the jackpot this weekend.

“Love could be in the air on Sunday night. Who knows, some of the girls might meet the loves of their life on the dance floor,” Kelly suggested, displaying admirable levels of optimism.

Tickets are still on sale in the Armada Hotel; Beehive, Miltown Malbay; Riverside Beauty, Cree; Natural Beauty by Dee in Kilrush or from Kelly Power and Maeve Foley.