A fundraiser in the form of a charity raffle aims to gather donations in memory of Co. Wicklow beef and sheep farmer, Michael McHugh who lost his fight against cancer in October last year.
All proceeds will go to the St. Vincent’s Foundation, which provided dialysis treatment to McHugh for three years, his son Michael McHugh Jnr. told Agriland. He said:
“They gave us three years extra with my dad that we would not have got if it wasn’t for the service.”
The dialysis treatment cleaned McHugh’s blood as he had lost both of his kidneys to cancer, Michael Jnr. added.
The first prize in the raffle is a purebred Charolais heifer sired by Goldstar Ludwig, and out of an Enfield Plexus cow whose dam was purchased from the Clenagh Charolais herd.
Five lambs that have been donated by a local farmer will be given away as the second prize, while other prizes include a two-night stay in Edinburgh and a €200 voucher for Avondale veterinary.
McHugh was farming part time on the family beef and sheep farm in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, which had initially been bought by his grandfather. Michael Jnr. added:
“My father was more into the cattle, while I am more into the sheep. He would have been a member of the Charolais society and show the cattle a lot.”
Michael Jnr., who is now farming part time, keeps purebred Charolais, purebred Suffolk, Texel, Cheviot and Wicklow Cheviot sheep. He also sells Tullow lambs at the Tullow Sheep Breeders.
Donations to the Michael McHugh Memorial Raffle can be made on idonate.ie. Raffle tickets can be purchased for €20, or in a bundle of three for €50.
While a date has not yet been set for the charity event, it is expected to be held within the coming months.