Generous Offer brings Lord Mayor to Tears

Derek, Ryan and Robert Buckley, Anthony Owens, Joan Kirwin (RICC) courtesy Louise Whelan.

Louise Whelan


“A Butterfly alights beside us like a sunbeam…”

Féileacáin is a non-profit organisation that was founded by a group of bereaved parents who came together to offer hope and support to others having suffered the loss of a baby. They host regular support meetings which offer a befriending service and support helpline, as well as providing a safe and confidential setting in which those bereaved through stillbirth or neonatal death can share their experiences, and hold remembrance services that allow the families space and time to remember their baby.
Derek Buckley – recently elected Lord Mayor of Ringsend and Irishtown – hosted a Family Fun Quarantine Quiz every Friday night for 12 months during lockdown. Through this event Derek hosted charity auctions with all the proceeds going to Féileacáin, which to date has raised thousands of euro.
On one particular show there was a bidding war for a signed Shamrock Rovers Jersey, kindly donated by footballer Sean Kavanagh. Initially it was thought the jersey would maybe sell for €100 or €150 but in the end sold for a staggering €350!
The jersey was purchased by Derek’s own brother Robert, who then contacted the show to compliment all the other participants on their contributions to this fantastic charity, and as a wonderful surprise gesture, he went on to donate the signed jersey to Anthony Owens. Anthony is a member of Féileacáin Father’s – a branch of Féileacáin specifically for bereaved dads to come together and share their experiences and raise awareness about grieving – who then came on the live show and thanked Robert personally for his remarkable gesture. It all turned into an emotional, heartfelt and bittersweet experience which even had Derek in tears.
Derek highlights this as one of the most amazing and thoughtful acts of love and kindness of the 12 months of shows he did and would like to personally show appreciation and generosity to the local sponsors for Buckley Bingo which is a completely free event, and to all the lovely viewers who play.
Féileacáin can be found on www.féileacáin.ie, on Facebook and Instagram And can be reached on (028)51301. Email info@feileacain.ie
Buckley Bingo is played live every Friday at 7pm on the Facebook page.