All set for cancer care weekend in Belturbet
Belturbet is gearing up for a community-centred festival designed to provide holistic support to people affected by cancer and their families.
The Belturbet Cancer Care Weekend is a heart-warming event and, this year, organisers hope to raise tens of thousands of euro for several worthy charities. A wide range of activities aimed at nurturing both the mind and body are also planned.
Now in its third year and running from Friday to Sunday, March 28-30, the Erneside town will be awash with yellow throughout the weekend says organising committee chair Eileen McCandless.
In year one the festival, which coincides with national Daffodil Day (March 22), raised close to €3,500. But last year they almost quadrupled that figure, eventually donating €13,600 between Irish Cancer Society, Aoibheann's Pink Tie, and Cavan Oncology Unit.
In 2025 organisers have extended the hand of generosity further still, by adding St Luke's Hospital in Dublin and Cúan Cancer Care to the list of beneficiaries. All of the charities are close to the hearts of those involved, and everyone backing the festival is either a cancer survivor or has lost someone close to them to the disease.
“We're more prepared this year,” explains Kim, with cakes and daffodils being sold locally on the opening day (Friday), followed by a coffee morning hosted by The Railway Bar from 10:30am-2:30pm; and a table quiz at The Seven Horseshoes from 7:30pm - €40 per table of four.
The night will cap off with a Firemen versus Locals Leg Wax and Karaoke at The Castle Bar from 10:30pm.
Nathalie McCaul says there has been no shortage of people offering support for the weekend. On the Friday local schools will “turn yellow” in support of the occasion, while a successful Pool competition took place at the Yukon Bar already, March 15.
“There is a lot more on,” says Nathalie, crediting the impressive line-up of events to the dedication and hard work of her committee colleagues.
As before, Saturday's festivities (9:30-11am) will open with a cake sale at the Rory O'Moore GAA grounds, followed by a QiGong Class with medication and sound bath at the Omnispace Studio on Bridge Street from 10:30am.
The Annagh Dippers will then host a swim at Annagh Lake from 1pm, and there will be a Pilates and Lattes class with at The Railway Goods Store.
“The generosity is huge,” adds Kim, with the grand finale a Monster Auction and Raffle which takes place at The Railway Bar on Sunday from 8pm. Tickets are on sale locally, and the festival organisers have been inundated with an incredible selection of prizes, from a €600 hamper of goodies, to a 32-inch smart TV, two tickets to go see Frances Black in concert donated by the singer herself, and much, much more.
Also on Sunday, there will be a Community Get-together at The Railway Goods Store from 12-3pm.
The family fun day will involve a community 5km walk (registration 11:30am, €10 per family), a dog show competition (€4 per entry) judged by Cruff's winner Ralph Dunne, face painting and games, a samba band, refreshments and music.
There will also be petanque competition, while a “high end fashion pop up” shop titled Mellow Yellow will open on Bridge Street.
Another Sound Bath and Gentle Breathwork class will take place at the Townhall Civic Centre from 5:30pm on Sunday.
Everyone knows someone who has either battled cancer or has sadly lost someone close to them from the disease. “That's what drives us,” states Nathalie who lost two close friends in the past year.
Eileen's husband Kim has also gone through the process of fighting cancer.
This time last year, in the run up to the 2024 festival, he says himself he “didn't know if I had months or a year to live”.
Through it all he continued to support the festival, and his own recovery was aided by the treatment he received at St Luke's Hospital which he says was “second to none”.
“Now I've the all clear,” he says with a smile.
His story offers hope, and that's what Eileen believes that the festival can do in terms of providing emotional and practical support to those navigating their own challenging journey of cancer.
“It’s a celebration of life,” she says, adding that the festival also serves as a platform for raising awareness and funds for essential cancer care charities.
“We have all these charities doing incredible work, supporting families. It's about giving something back.”