Ederney community far surpasses fundraising goal with £240,000 raised for new hall

THE Ederney community is celebrating a phenomenal fundraising success after Ederney Community Development Trust raised an incredible £240,000, far exceeding their original target of £150,000, to build a much-needed new community hall in the village.

The fundraising milestone was achieved following their spectacular Oskar Night, held on November 1 at The Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran. The glamorous event, which saw doors open at 6.30pm and the ceremony begin at 7.30pm, drew a crowd of 600 people, surpassing organisers’ expectations of 500 people. Tickets were priced at £40 each, and a coach organised by Jason Gray, costing £25 per person, was fully booked, helping to add further funds to the fundraising total.

Before the event, the Trust had raised £118,000 through various community initiatives, including an Irish Mock Wedding, charity car washes, and fitness challenges, just to name a few. However, it was the Oskar Night that pushed them well past their target.

Dr Anne Monaghan, a trustee of the Ederney Community Development Trust who lives just outside the village, expressed her joy and gratitude following the event.

“We are absolutely blown away by the support,” she said. “We’re over the moon. We paid particular tribute to the young people who got involved; they did raffles, helped organise events, and really went all out. The hall is for them and future generations, and we’re delighted they took ownership of it.”

Reflecting on the atmosphere of the night, Anne added with a laugh: “Let’s just say, Ederney was like a ghost town on Sunday morning!”

She continued: “We knew the event was going well, but we didn’t realise just how well until all the money came in. It was truly fantastic.”

Anne credited the success of the Oskar Night to the strong sense of unity and cooperation within the village.

“Every family, every community group got involved. People supported each other, baked buns and apple tarts, and really embraced the spirit of working together. It brought down barriers, built new friendships, and of course, we had plenty of craic along the way.”

With the fundraising target not only met but far exceeded, the new community hall is now expected to begin construction by the end of next year, a long-awaited development for Ederney residents.

Anne also extended her gratitude to all who contributed: “For the entire fundraising committee, when we started, we were nervous and apprehensive. But we couldn’t have asked for better from the community. We’d like to give special thanks to all our sponsors, everyone who donated and supported the programme, especially to our main sponsors who each donated £3,000.”

The Trust continues to host community events, with Michael English performing at St Joseph’s Hall, Ederney tonight (Wednesday). Doors are to open at 7pm, with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets, which are priced at £30, are almost sold out and can be purchased at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/michael-english-church-

concert-tickets-1754880527899

For updates on the Ederney Community Development Trust’s progress and future events, visit their Facebook page at: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064729746536