Killygarry tog lotto out in support of hospital staff

A Cavan GAA club has become the first in the county to divert a percentage of its weekly lotto takings to benefit Cavan General Hospital during the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
Killygarry GAA last week donated a cheque for €1,000 directly to the local hospital.
Restrictions around Coronavirus have caused many clubs like Killygarry to rethink their fundraising efforts, from the traditional way of raising money through physically selling lotto tickets, to trying to encourage more people to play club lotto online.
“It was decided by our committee, with everything that's going on, to try do something for our frontline,” says the Black and Reds' chairman Harry Lynch. The money donated will be used to help purchase equipment needed at Cavan General. “It's not that we can afford to do it, but we can't afford not to do it.”
Harry, who through his own business is already offering frontline workers a discount, explained: “Everyone is trying to do there bit in all of this. We're all in this together and what better way to do that than support our frontline workers and the patients who need them. Our main objective here is to do something good, and hopefully in some small way, help save lives at the end of the day.”
Along with Harry, the committee members behind the initiative include Austin Reilly, Ann Reilly, Cara McDermott and Noel McHugh.
The willingness within the club to support the cause is emphasised further given that many frontline staff are themselves or their family are either members play with the club.
That includes Dr Muhammad Ashraf Butt, emergency medical consultant at Cavan General, whose son plays with Killygarry at underage level.
“We are delighted to get the community behind us. The staff here at the hospital are working really hard in very hard circumstances. So we're delighted to get this support,” remarked Dr Butt.
He adds that the GAA is a “big family” looking out for one another in the community, and was particularly proud of how his own club, Killygarry GAA, stepped up to the mark to support staff at the local hospital.
“We are one family, one community, and we are delighted to get support from Killygarry and other GAA clubs.”
At the presentation of the cheque, following an applause given by ED staff, Harry told the hospital workers gathered just how supportive the people of Cavan and surrounding counties are of them at the present time.