Hill 16 – one of Macra na Feirme’s top clubs in Co. Dublin – is set to hold its annual fundraiser in aid of Hugh’s House charity and the northside club.
The charity, located in the city centre, provides ‘home-from-home’ accommodation to the families of children that are long-term in-patients at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, The National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street, The Coombe Hospital and The Rotunda Hospital.
The remarkable service – which operates 365 days a year – was established by Ade Stack and Martin Curley, from Malahide, in May 2015, in memory of their beloved son, Hugh.
Throughout their devastating journey at the hospital with Hugh, Ade and Martin observed many other struggling and exhausted families, under severe pressure, who were left with no option but to sleep on chairs, floors and in corridors – often for months at a time.
The reasons being that these parents and families often resided from rural areas hundreds of miles from the capital, or because they didn’t have the financial resources to cover the cost of accommodation near the hospital where their sick child was undergoing crucial treatment.
After their son’s tragic passing, Ade and Martin decided that they wanted to help these families by offering them a bed, a hot meal, a cup of tea and a garden space.
And so, the couple decided to invest their savings, and their vision, in the purchase of a property located just five minutes walk from the main hospitals – they called it Hugh’s House.
The property can now accommodate up to 11 families, with many staying there for quite substantial periods.
Table Quiz Fundraiser
Macra’s Hill 16 club – one of three clubs in the capital at the moment – has built a strong relationship with the nearby charity over recent years and it has hosted a number of events in support of Hugh’s House.
Macra Hill 16 members pictured with politician John Halligan and Ade Stack of Hugh’s House after its 2017 fundraiser
The club – which covers a vast catchment area around north Dublin city including: Drumcondra; Whitehall; Santry; Glasnevin; Phibsborough; Clontarf; Marino; and Fairview – will this year hold a table quiz to help bolster funds for this worthy cause.
All funds raised at the event will go towards Hugh’s House and towards the Macra Hill 16 club. Organisers say “all are welcome to attend” on the night.
Plus, for those interested in joining the club, committee members will be available to share news and information on the active city branch.
For those that are unfamiliar with the organisation’s presence in the capital, members will also be able to offer further insights on Macra na Feirme – an organisation for young people between the ages of 17 and 35 who are interested in getting involved in sports, travel, drama, debating, public speaking and many other activities.
Hill 16’s history
Macra’s Hill 16 is still a relatively new club.
However, it has succeeded in building a strong profile in recent years by hotly contesting many competitions at county, regional and national level.
These have included accolades in: public speaking; debating; basketball; GAA; badminton; drama; capers; and others.
The club also runs many social events – often alongside members from the other Dublin Macra clubs including Treble R Macra (Ranelagh, Rathgar, Rathmines) and North County Dublin Macra – throughout the year.
Such outings include: hill walking; bowling; trips away; theatre outings; tours; sporting events; kayaking; cycles; and many more.
For further information on Hill 16 Dublin Macra, the club can be contacted at: [email protected].
Or to get further insight into the events, activities and competitions that the club has participated in in recent times check out the club’s Facebook page at: Hill16DublinMacranaFeirme.