Remembrance Tree will have extra location in Tipperary this Christmas

Above: At the launch of the Rotary Club of Clonmel Remembrance Tree, in aid of South Tipperary Hospice, in Mulcahy Park were Ian Bowen, Rotary Club vice-president; Mayor of Clonmel, Cllr Pat English; Maud Shee, South Tipperary Hospice; Richie Molloy, Rotary Club president; Schira Lane, South Tipperary Hospice; and Tom Duggan, Rotary Club project chairman. Picture: John D Kelly

The Rotary Club of Clonmel’s annual Remembrance Tree in aid of South Tipperary Hospice homecare nursing service will be held at three separate locations this Christmas.

The tree has been a feature in the town for many years in the run-up to Christmas and has always been generously supported by the people of Clonmel, and those who visit from outside the town for Christmas shopping.

As in previous years, trees will be located at O’Connell Street, outside Dealz, and at Dunnes Stores on Davis Road, but this year a new location is added at Dunnes Stores in Oakville.

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The new town centre location should assist those who do their shopping in the busy area.

Rotary president Richie Molloy has thanked Dunnes Stores management for continuing to provide the club with its location at Davis Road, as well as the extra one at Oakville.

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“We are very grateful to Dunnes Stores for this support and know that it will help people to support the fundraiser and in turn help raise funds for South Tipperary Hospice,” said Mr Molloy.

The campaign will run over seven days – from Thursday, December 13 to Saturday, December 15, inclusive, and from Friday, December 19 to Monday, December 22, inclusive.

Remembering loved ones who have passed away is a feature of Christmas in Ireland, and that feeling of reflection and remembrance is the focus of the Remembrance Tree. People can write the name of a loved one on a ribbon that is then attached to the tree, while also making a contribution to Hospice.

The trees will be manned by members of Clonmel Rotary Club, by South Tipperary Hospice members and by volunteers on the two weekends before Christmas.

One of those volunteers for many years has been Mayor of Clonmel, Pat English, who launched the campaign at Mulcahy Park.

Congratulating Clonmel Rotary Club on their initiative, he described it as a wonderful way to remember loved ones who have passed away, while also contributing to such a worthy charity as Hospice.

“I have volunteered at the collections in the past and I know from talking to families what it means to them. It can be a difficult time of the year for those who have lost loves ones and they really appreciate that they can remember them in this way by placing a ribbon on the tree,” Mayor English said.

“I would like to pay tribute to Clonmel Rotary Club for running this project over many years. It is a wonderful fundraiser in aid of a very worthy charity,” said the mayor.

His Tipperary County Council colleague, and president of Rotary, Richie Molloy, echoed his words, thanking the people of Clonmel for their exceptional generosity over so many years, and he was confident that the same spirit of giving will be evident again this year.

He added – “The Hospice homecare nursing service is one of the most deserving charities in the country, doing wonderful work each year to alleviate the suffering of those who are seriously ill, and to help their families to cope with it.

“The people of this county have always given Hospice great support in their efforts, particularly in raising funds to provide homecare nurses. And I have no doubt but they will maintain that support for our Remembrance Trees this year”.

On Sunday, January 4, all the ribbons from the three trees will be taken to Ss Peter and Paul’s Church for 11am Mass, where the ribbons will be blessed and all those named on them will be prayed for.

Christmas can be a sad time for many people, but it can mean so much to those who have lost loved ones to have them remembered with a ribbon on the tree, and then prayed for at Mass in the New Year.

“The people of Clonmel, and those who visit from outside for Christmas shopping, have been so generous in their support for our Remembrance Tree for many years, and I am sure that the same level of generosity will be repeated again this year,” says club president Richie Molloy.

“We are very grateful for that support as all the money raised goes directly to Hospice to help fund their vital work”.