Shine Ball in aid of the Shine Autism Centre (Cork)

Friday March 7th - Marborough Hotel & Spa

The Shine Fundraising Ball was held in the Maryborough Hotel & Spa on last Friday the 7th March. The special guest at the Ball was Miriam O’Callaghan of RTE with over two hundred and seventy guests attending the event. Amongst the guests attending were Minister Micheal Martin and his wife Mary, Deputy Lord Mayor Damien Wallace and his wife Grace, Deirdre Clune TD and her husband Conor, Katleen Lynch TD, and Ciaran Lynch TD and his wife.

They were welcomed to a champagne reseption hosted by Irish Business Systems by Eamon O'Donovan Chairperson of Shine/IPAA and Kieran Kennedy CEO. Music was provided by the wonderful voices of the Cantate Choir and the guests mingled in the beautiful surroundings of the Maryborough House Hotel prior to the start of the meal.

Before the meal started Miriam O'Callaghan visited many of the tables and chatted to the guests and happily posed for photographs.The meal commenced at eight oclock with a speech from Kieran Kennedy CEO of Shine/IPAA in which he thanked all of the guests for supporting the event and commented how he was particularly pleased to see so many of the member families in attendance.The meal as always was superbly prepared and served by the staff of the Maryborough Hotel and Spa with a main course of roast sirlion of irish beef or pan fried cod with herb crust.

When the meal was finished, Eamon O'Donovan Chairperson of Shine addressed the guests. In his speech he firstly thanked the Ball Committe of Laura Crowley, Denise Duffy and Tina Oldham for their wonderful work in making the night such a success, he also thanked the many sponsors of the Ball for their support with special thanks to the lead sponsor Martin O'Donovan of Atlas Box & Crating Company Ireland. He made special mention of the staff of Shine and thanked them for their dedication and commitment to the many children they work with and for the positive impact they are having on the childrens lives.

Eamon O'Donovan then introduced Miriam O'Callaghan and thanked her for making the effort and taking the time to attend the event. He said that for somebody of her profile to agree to attend the event, and to give her time so freely meant so much to all of the parents of the autistic children who receive services from Shine. He also commented that the Ball could have sold out three times over once it became known that Miriam O'Callaghan was attending.

Miriam O'Callaghan said that she was so pleased to attend the Ball and that it was she who felt grateful and humbled to be in the company of so many people who deal so positively and couragously with the challenges that autism presents to them. She started by outlining how she had attended another very worthy charity event that day,and how she was determined to make the Ball on time, eventually travelling to Cork by Taxi as the other event had overrun. In a speech full of good humour she also spoke of the importance of "dreaming the dream" and recognising that an autistic child has loads of potential and to believe in each child and through organisations such as Shine create the best opportunity for your child to develop to be the best they can be. She was presented with a set of Stephen Peirce wine glasses by Tina Oldham of the Shine Ball Committee and re-took her seat to a standing ovation from the large crowd.

After presentations to Dan O'Leary, Aidan Dalton and Eoin Twomey for Outstanding Achievement for their fundraising work and a presentation for Outstanding Contribution to Tina Oldham the guests enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere with music from the Soul Masters.

It is hoped that this years event will raise in excess of thirty five thousand euro for the Shine Centre operated by The Irish Progressive Association for Autism.