Fundraiser for Barretstown in the park is a fairy tale success
Fairy Fun at Bord na Móna's Lough Boora Discovery Park in Aid of Barretstown Sunday 26th July 2015: Pictured are fairy cousins... Jessica, Emily, Amy and Anna Reams from Tullamore and Kilcormac, Offaly at the Lough Boora Fairy Door Tea Party in Bord na
Fairies took over Lough Boora Discovery Park as thousands gathered for a family day out in aid of a Dublin charity.
It's the third year in succession that the Bord na Móna discovery park has held the event in aid of Barretstown, and the fairy-themed day proved to be an overwhelming success.
The action-packed event featured stilt walkers, a giant-sized tea party and other fairy-themed games.
It's estimated that close to 5,000 people attended the event, and Cliodhna Carthy, Community Fundraising Co-ordinator at Barretstown, was delighted with the level of donations.
"It was fantastic and we really got amazing support. There were thousands of people there," said Ms Carthy.
Impact
"I think the fact that we're a children's charity and the event was for children, certainly had an impact.
"There were so many large donations. We had a lot of people donating €50 notes and one woman actually donated something like €110. We'll start counting when we get back in to the office this week," she added.
"There was a mad-hatter tea party which went on for the whole day and fairy trails and then we had a number of different fundraising events that were well supported.
"We had huge numbers, but the crowd management was so good that it never seemed packed."
Barretstown - a charity that helps children with serious illnesses - is set to host a number of other events before the end of 2015.
"We're holding a golf event in The K Club in Kildare on September 29 and we're hoping to get a professional golfer in for the day.
"We'll then finish off the year with a Christmas concert," she added.