Friends of St Brigids fundraiser makes $5000

By Felix Meagher
Over 100 people joined the colourful throng of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Melbournes Celtic Club on Cup Eve to support and raise money for the Friends of St Brigids and The Lake School.

The Friends of St Brigids are raising funds so that the church and hall at Crossley, Western Victoria, which have fallen into disrepair, may be preserved for community use. They were joined by The Lake School which runs its annual summer school of celtic music song and dance in nearby Koroit.

A cross section of the Melbourne Irish community (many of whom had links to the St Brigid's church ), a group from Geelong, and a strong contingent of families from Crossley, Illowa and Killarney - Mugavins, O'Briens, Healys, Lanes, Daleys and Kellys , made up the numbers.

Typical spring carnival hats, frocks, suits and costumes gave a splash of colour to the event, and the prize for the best hat, as judged by Maeve Kemp, went to Sue Madden from Geelong. Liz Fitzgerald from Glen Iris and Margie Brophy from Croydon were among the honourable mentions.

MC, Vince Brophy, dressed as the Mad Hatter, introduced Mossie Scanlon who welcomed the crowd with tales about Father Moriaty and his parish in Ireland, and a hymn sung in Irish. A stream of entertainment followed - Cath Connolly on the harp, poetry from Father David O'Brien and Chris Healy, dancing from Ruby O'Brien , and a bracket of soulful ballads from Shane and Marcia Howard, including Shane's Flesh and Blood, Marcia's setting of Blake's The Poison Tree, and a joyful rendition of Bob Dylan's Forever Young. Ewen Baker, Lake School fiddle tutor, who had earlier played with Jim Green and Felix Meagher in a trio of Irish dance tunes, won the Tutors Cup - with the enthusiastic and rowdy support of Table 12.

The Silent Auction, organised by Christine Meagher, raised over $1500, and Mary O'Brien put in the winning bid for the painting by Paddy O'Neill. Felix Meagher won the bid for the Jonathon Brown signed Sherrin Match Day Football, and Judy Foreman the holiday accommodation in Georgetown, Tasmania, and the house concert with the Irish band Catalpa. Judy plans to continue the fundraising for St Brigid's when the concert is held at her house in the coming months.

The Ashley Franklin designed hat, which was the first prize in the raffle, was won by Helen Keegan. Other prizes included some Waterford crystal donated by Emerald Travel, and some fascinators donated by Tess McLaughlin.

Teresa O'Brien, secretary of the Friends of St Brigids, thanked the audience for coming along, and judged the evening a solid social and fundraising success with about $5000 being raised. Teresa thanked and praised the Celtic Club for its hospitality and the many volunteers, donors, friends and helpers who contributed to the evening.