The annual Ballycotton Lifeboat Gala Dinner at Ballymaloe House will take place on Friday 1st February, and for 2019 this annual RNLI fundraiser is taking on a Moulin Rouge theme to raise funds and awareness of our local brave lifeboat crew and station in Ballycotton.
Truth, beauty, freedom and above all LOVE… Moulin Rouge is about splendor and romance and eye-popping glitz, grandeur, glory and enchantment… how wonderful life is… at the Moulin Rouge! So, what a fitting theme to be celebrating and fundraising for our very important local life-saving service.
In 2018 Ballycotton lifeboat crew had 16 rescue launches in total. The majority of which occurred in July, August and September and the range of casualties covered fishing vessels, sailing vessels, leisure crafts, persons in the water and vessels taking on water. One sailing vessel was over 35 miles out from Ballycotton and the rescue took over 10 hours, later that same day there was a second call out to a vessel in trouble off Capel Island. The volunteers who bravely make up our Ballycotton lifeboat crew were out for a total of 24 hours between these two incidents. The year previously the Ballycotton lifeboat and crew attending two even longer distance calls within a week of each other. 90 miles and 65 miles away from Ballycotton. The farthest being a yacht competing in the Fastnet race.
We are extremely grateful to the brave men and women who make up our local crew and it is important to remember that the RNLI is a charity supported solely by donations and fundraising. Fundraising is therefore very important, thanks to this event and its many generous sponsors, over 80% of this fundraising ticket price goes directly to the Ballycotton RNLI.
The evening will start with a live music cocktail reception thanks to Matson’s wines and the Perfidia Jazz quartet (who generously give their time and talent for free annually to this event). Head Chef, Dervilla O’Flynn and the Allen family are preparing a delicious seasonal and locally sourced menu of East Cork beef, Ballymaloe walled garden vegetables and Ballymaloe desserts, coffee and petit fours.
After dinner there will be more live jazz in the house from the very talented and sassy Cork Jazz band The Runaway Retros sponsored by Right Price Tiles. The team from Celebsentertainment.ie will be in the conservatory with their Celfie mirror and entertainers or try your luck on the roulette wheel, all sponsored by Supervalu Midleton, 20/20 Windows, MTA1 Construction and Colin Lochaden Plumbing & Heating.
The Allen family have proudly hosted a Ballycotton lifeboat Fundraising event at Ballymaloe since opening the house to the public in 1964. The event is particularly special to the family as Myrtle and Ivan Allen met at a Ballymaloe House lifeboat dinner hosted by the previous house owners. The Ballycotton Lifeboat Fundraising Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank them again very much for their ongoing support. Every year this event is only possible thanks to their generosity and the many generous local supporters and sponsors – from goodie bags to fabulous raffle and spot prizes to ticket sales, each and every contribution ensures the evening is a success and that a substantial contribution towards Ballycotton Lifeboats annual fundraising target is raised.
Ahead of this year’s event the Ballycotton Lifeboat Fundraising Committee would like to thank the following sponsors very much… Ballymaloe House, Ballymaloe Foods, Ballymaloe Cookery School, Matson’s Wines, Right Price Tiles, 20/20 Windows, MTA1 Construction, Colin Lochaden Plumbing & Heating, Flanagan’s Print, Supervalu, Jameson IDL & Distillery Midleton, Cork Film Festival, Garryvoe Hotel, Castlemartyr resort, Wilkies Chocolate, Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries, Colbert & Co, Le Caveau wines, Smith & Whelan, Issac’s Restaurant, Muckley’s Jewelers, Chadwicks, The Schooner Ballycotton, The Blackbird Ballycotton, Green Saffron, Skinny’s Diner. We cannot stress the importance and value of your generosity – thank you.
It costs approximately a quarter of a million euros per year to keep a lifeboat in Ballycotton and by supporting and celebrating our brave local crew at this event, you are therefore helping raise vital funds to ensure they have the necessary equipment and training to keep our coastline safe. We never know when we might need their invaluable skills and service ourselves.
Ticket availability is limited, and tickets cost €110 per person. To purchase tickets please contact Helen on (087) 120 4023. Ballymaloe House is generously offering a special B&B rate of €75 per person for Ballycotton Lifeboat Gala Dinner ticket holders.
For more information on the evening and this special rate visit www.ballymaloe.ie or contact Helen directly on (087) 120 4023 or email hcuddigan@gmail.com
