THE MAYO INTERNATIONAL Supporters Foundation have donated €50,000 to Mayo Roscommon Hospice just days after Mayo GAA cut ties with their chairperson Tim O’Leary.
The foundation had been planning to hand over the €250,000 raised for Mayo GAA, before some ill-advised tweets from O’Leary led to the county’s delegates ceasing engagement with the benefactor.
The funds had been withheld by the English-born millionaire late last year after a row over how monies were being used.
A resolution in January appeared to have put an end to the dispute but O’Leary’s ‘#Horanout’ tweet led to a Mayo county board vote to sever the relationship with him.
It’s unclear whether any or all of the funds was ever received by Mayo GAA.
The hospice’s CEO Martina Jennings hailed the foundation for the contribution.
“We are thrilled to have received this donation from the Mayo International Supporters Foundation,” she said in a statement.
“100% of fundraised income like this very generous donation go directly back into providing palliative care services to the people of Mayo and Roscommon and have enabled us to build our Mayo Hospice and move to our Roscommon Hospice.
“Our Mayo Hospice was delivered on time and under budget. It cost just under €9m and 100% of that came from fundraised money. Roscommon will cost in the region of €6m and again we will build this from fundraised income. Alongside all of this development, we continue to provide community Palliative Care to those in most need in the two counties.
“Donations like this from the Mayo International Supporters Foundation enable us to do that work and for that we are most grateful. Tim O’Leary, the founder and chairperson of Mayo International Supporters Foundation has been a terrific supporter of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and we look forward to his continued support across a range of projects.
“Gifts like these not only support our work, but are a great boost to our volunteers and staff, when they see the work of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation being recognised in this way.”
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