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info@eastcorkjournal.ie


Thursday, 21st


December 2017 Remarkable Mr Charity Set To Hit 200k Mark For Worthy Causes


by JORDAN MCCARTHY


Since


(aka Mark O’Sullivan) has raised


€194,250 for charities such as Marymount Hospice, the Irish Kidney Associ- ation, Down Syndrome Cork and other worthy causes, through events such as spinathons and tal- ent shows.


He has become ‘Mr Charity’ and has made a remarkable impact in the community. Speaking to the East Cork Journal, Fanta reflected; ‘‘it start- ed off in 2009. I lost my mother-in-law, of fifty six, to kidney failure. I decid- ed to do an eighties and an auction night, for the Irish Kidney Association. We made seventeen thou- sand euro that night, in the Rochestown Park Ho- tel. After that, I got into it (fundraising). I really drove on then. ’’ Almost eight years and €177,250 later, Fanta, as he is known, is on the verge of reaching the €200,000 mark, for funds raised in aid of worthy causes. He


2009, Fanta a


staggering


is gearing towards anoth- er edition – the third – of East Cork’s Got Talent, which takes place next March.


‘‘East Cork’s Got Tal-


ent has gone huge. It’s on every year now. The first night (in 2015), I raised six almost seven thousand for Down Syndrome Cork. In 2016, we drove on again with East Cork’s Got Talent and we raised six thousand five hundred for Down Syndrome Cork.’’ There have been dozens


of other noteworthy events – each one of them raising much-needed funds for a chosen charity, or a mem- ber of the public strug- gling with illness. In 2017, Fanta took on his greatest challenge yet. ‘‘This year, I did a five hour spinathon back in April. I made fourteen thousand for a local lad, who needed to travel to Holland to get an opera- tion. It was five hours in a full fireman’s suit and I cycled one hundred and eighty one kilometres. I had done a four hour spi- nathon before. But, that was tough.’’


The gruelling chal-


lenge brought the total to €194,250, for funds raised by Fanta, in aid of worthy causes. It all started when the


of it, when I’m handing over the big cheque.’’ Erich Stack,


local man came up with an idea to raise some cash for a cause close to his heart. Nowadays, people are regularly approaching him, to help them out. ‘‘People are approach- ing me all the time. I get so involved, that I actually take the event over! And I think that’s what people are waiting for me to do actually. Only for the sup- port of the people….Like at the moment, I’m pre- paring for the talent show in March, and there are a hundred and thirty eight tickets sold already. The people around Cork have been brilliant supporters. People are fantastic. ‘‘Hopefully the


night


for Down Syndrome Cork would close out for the two hundred thousand euro mark. It’s a lot of mon- ey, when you think about it! But, all in aid of great charities.


I’d probably re-


tire (from fundraising) if I hit it! A lot of time goes into it. But, I get a buzz out


• Fanta with Ethal, who is always a great help and support in many of Fanta’s fundraisers.


• MC Fanta, Imelda and Brianna at the Charity Handbag Auction for CF in 2015.


Dashing Through the Store! Leanne Wins SuperValu/Youghal Chamber of Commerce Trolley Run by DENISE FITZGERALD Leanne Smyth was the


delighted winner of Brookes SuperValu Christmas Trol- ley Dash, and on Thursday last she arrived at the store accompanied by family and friends.


Mother of a four


months old baby, Leanne told The East Cork Jour- nal that she “was a bag of nerves” and couldn’t possibly do it herself so she nominat- ed her sister, Pamela, to do it for her.


rived back with a packed trol- ley, and big hugs from Mum and Leanne. Peter Brookes


told The


East Cork Journal that the Trolley Dash, which has been held in SuperValu for several years, is an initiative


with Youghal Chamber. “It


is a way in which we can give something back to our com- munity”, he said, “and we


are always delighted to host the event which is very pop- ular with customers”. Youghal Chamber mem-


ber, Paul McElduff, Old Im- perial Hotel, told The East Cork Journal that the Trol- ley Dash is one of the ways


in which the local businesses can thank their


“and” he said “it puts smiles on faces”. Well done all.


customers the


award-winning photogra- pher, has worked closely with Fanta in recent years. He told the East Cork Journal; ‘‘Fanta first ap- proached me three years ago about photographing the East Cork’s Got Talent in aid of Down Syndrome Cork. He spoke with such passion, about the event and


the organization,


that it was impossible to turn him down. We have worked together


many


times since and each occa- sion has been bigger and better than the last. You


know you’re in for a fantas- tic night if he’s involved. I think his biggest strength is he doesn’t ever give up, if he sets his mind to achiev- ing something, whether it’s getting sponsorship from a corporation, getting peo- ple involved, or some super human feat of endurance to raise funds, he’ll keep going until the very end’’. Fanta set out in 2009, to make a difference. As we approach 2018, it is fair to say that he has cer- tainly


achieved that. By


next summer, he will have earned multiple charities, and people in need, a share of €200,000.


• Mark O’Sullivan, aka MC Fanta, with Saoirse Cahill, winner of East Cork’s Got Talent 2017. (Photo credit: Erich Stack).


Pamela made a


quick pre-dash up and down the packed aisles, firing ques- tions at Leanne about the items she most wanted, with Mum, Sheila, getting in on the action also. They decid- ed that the main aisles would be Baby products and frozen foods. On an exciting countdown


by Peter Brooks, Pamela took off down the first aisle like a jet on a runway, filling her trolley as she went. She was followed by Peter with a Stop Watch, who kept her informed of every remaining second!!! She did very well and ar-


• Worth a try Peter! • Leanne, Pamela and Mum Sheila before the Dash • It’s off !


• A big Thank You hug for Pamela


• Bag Packing back at the car! Tel: 021 463 8000 • Email: info@eastcorkjournal.ie • Web: www.eastcorkjournal.ie


• Leanne and family pictured with Peter Brookes and members of Youghal Chamber of Commerce and Tourism


eastcorkjournal @eastcorkjournal / #eastcorkjournal


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