Annual Christmas dinner for senior citizens at The Downs
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Paddy Bardon and Paddy Corroon, The Downs.Image 2 of 12
Emma and David Smyth from David Smyth Catering.Image 3 of 12
Mary Newman and Nora Connaire from The Downs.Image 4 of 12
Seamus Maunsell, Joe Connaire and Billy Newman enjoying a meal and a chat on Sunday week last.Image 5 of 12
Dorothy Cave and Michael Baker from The Downs.Image 6 of 12
Damien Murtagh and Olivia Bardon from the organising committee.Image 7 of 12
Elaine Egerton, Anne Mooney, Laurie Darcy, Tracey Colgan and Mary Moffatt from the organising committee.Image 8 of 12
Seamus and Rita Conroy from Coralstown.Image 9 of 12
Lily Cleary, Ann Shanley and Caitriona Brennan at the Christmas dinner.Image 10 of 12
Anne Monaghan, Eamon Raleigh and Imelda Duffy at The Downs GAA for the annual Christmas gathering.Image 11 of 12
Geraldine Rabbitte from Curraghmore and Christy Creagh from Clonkill.Image 12 of 12
Marie Fagan, Anne Corroon and Johnny Rabbitte enjoying the Christmas dinner and social gathering at The Downs GAA.Almost 100 senior citizens from the local community sat down to Christmas dinner at the annual gathering in The Downs GAA complex on Sunday week last.
Damien Murtagh and the team of organisers are delighted with how the event went, and with the support of their sponsors and those who helped – and say they are hoping to run more similar events through the year for seniors.
Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner on the day, Damien said that the others on the organising team are Olivia Bardon, Mary Murtagh, Tracy Colgan and Elaine Egerton. He said: “We would like to thank The Downs GAA club and all the sponsors in Mullingar and surrounding areas, and all the local people who have given us sponsorship over the years.
"We put on a good event here every Christmas, the first week in December, and this year we have 92 people sitting down to a meal.”
Damien expressed gratitude to David Smyth Catering, “The Downs GAA for the wine, and all the local people who have helped out over the years and were back this year to help again”. He mentioned in particular Ciaran Carroll, Lowry Bardon, and Anne Carroll and Fergus Murphy, “who helped us out today”.
“It’s great to see the older people coming out, and it’s important; they enjoy their day out, and they’re actually looking for more of it. We do this one thing at the minute, but hopefully, we’ll be able to another event in the middle of the year as well, maybe take them off for a trip on a bus.
“They [the senior citizens] need to see people, to get out and meet people their own age. They don’t get out as much any more, especially after Covid, they don’t visit people as much as they used to – but they get to see them when they’re here, and of the 92 people here, there are some who haven’t seen each other it a year, so it’s a great thing and more of it should be done.”